Podcasts about advisors excel

In today's post, Bruce and I (Rachel Marshall) want to bring you behind the scenes of a candid and educational conversation we had with Matt Ewald, Vice President of Life Insurance at Advisors Excel. If you've ever wondered when and why to use guaranteed universal life insurance (GUL) —especially in the context of estate planning—this one is for you. We've been having more and more conversations with families who aren't just thinking about how to grow their wealth—but how to keep it intact for the next generation. And when estate taxes enter the picture, the stakes change. It's not just about protecting income anymore—it's about protecting impact. About making sure what you've built doesn't get lost in fees, confusion, or government claims. Because when it comes to life insurance in the context of wealth transfer, you're not just planning for protection—you're planning for legacy. Let's get into it. Why This Conversation MattersFrom Infinite Banking to Estate Strategy: A Shift in FocusGuaranteed Universal Life insurance 101: What It Is (and Isn't)Estate Planning and the Tax ConversationThe Myth of “Set It and Forget It”What About Accessing Capital?Roth Conversions, IRA Taxes, and Legislative RiskThe Real Value: Peace of Mind, Not Just Rate of ReturnWhat We CoveredBook A Strategy Call Why This Conversation Matters If you're like most of our clients, you're already successful. You've created wealth, you've stewarded well—and now you're asking deeper questions. Questions like: How do I pass on what I've built with intention? How do I shield my estate from unnecessary taxation? Is whole life the only tool for this? Or is there something else I should consider? In this blog, we're breaking down exactly what guaranteed universal life insurance is, how it's different from traditional IULs and whole life, and why it could be a strategic piece in your legacy plan. From Infinite Banking to Estate Strategy: A Shift in Focus We spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about whole life and its power as a privatized banking system—a way to store capital, access liquidity, and fund your life on your own terms. But not every financial goal calls for cash accumulation. Sometimes, the goal isn't to use the money during your lifetime at all. It's to transfer wealth efficiently, minimize estate taxes, and ensure your heirs receive more—without the friction and loss. And that's where guaranteed universal life enters the scene. Guaranteed Universal Life insurance 101: What It Is (and Isn't) Matt Ewald described guaranteed universal life insurance as a permanent term contract. That phrase stuck with me. Here's what it means: GUL is designed to give you the most death benefit for the least premium. Unlike cash-rich whole life or traditional IULs used for banking or income, GUL is a protection-first strategy. The focus is not on growing cash inside the policy. The focus is on locking in a death benefit that will be there guaranteed—no matter what the market does. And what makes it guaranteed? The no-lapse guarantee rider. This rider is the linchpin. It says, “As long as you pay the premium exactly as illustrated, this policy will not lapse—no matter how the underlying market indexes perform, no matter what cap rates change, no matter what happens behind the scenes.” It's simple. It's predictable. And it's ideal for estate planning when death benefit certainty is the priority. Estate Planning and the Tax Conversation Here's the reality we're facing: The estate tax exemption today is high—around $13 million per person. But it won't stay there forever. Just 20 years ago, it was $1 million. And the political winds are already shifting toward reducing the exemption again. That means more families will face estate tax exposure in the future—even those who don't consider themselves “ultra-wealthy.” And taxes at death are not just a theoretical prob...

Digging In is presented by Rooted Wealth Advisors and strives to establish a deeply rooted connection to your family, your finances, and your legacy.In this episode of Digging In, John sits down with Tom Siomades, Chief Investment Officer at Advisors Excel, for a timely conversation about the current state of the economy and what it means for your investments.They unpack:• The key economic indicators shaping today's market• How geopolitical and interest rate trends are influencing investor behavior• Practical ways to adjust your investment strategy without overreactingWhether you're nearing retirement or still building your portfolio, Tom shares valuable insights to help you stay grounded, focused, and prepared for what's next.

In this milestone episode, former NFL player, acclaimed playwright, and high-performance coach Bo Eason returns to The Athletics of Business podcast to share his insights on the power of personal storytelling and how it can shape leadership, influence, and success. Bo takes us on a journey through his transition from professional sports to Broadway and beyond, discussing how vulnerability, preparation, and relentless commitment define the best in any field. Bo and host Ed Molitor break down why storytelling is the ultimate tool for building trust, inspiring action, and creating meaningful connections in business, sports, and life. Whether you are a leader, an entrepreneur, or an athlete, this episode provides actionable strategies to harness your own story and unlock your potential.   Our Guest Bo Eason started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing on with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation. In 2001, Bo wrote and starred in his one-man play, Runt of the Litter, which he performed on Broadway to rave reviews. The New York Times called it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.” Bo toured with the play in over 50 cities and it is now being adapted as a major motion picture.  Now in his third act, he speaks to and trains some of the most successful people in the world—athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, and Merrill Lynch. His book, There's No Plan B for Your A-Game: Be the Best in the World at What You Do, hit the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and USA Today bestseller lists. Bo's training programs on leveraging the power of personal story have transformed the way experts, entrepreneurs, and leaders communicate.    What You'll Learn in This Episode How personal storytelling builds trust, influence, and meaningful connections The role of resilience and endurance in achieving long-term success Insights into transitioning from professional sports to business and leadership Strategies for using vulnerability to foster authenticity and engagement The importance of preparation, practice, and repetition in mastering any skill How to push yourself beyond comfort zones to develop a winning mindset The parallels between leadership in sports, business, and personal growth   Resources & Links Ed Molitor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themolitorgroup/ Website: https://www.themolitorgroup.com/   Bo Eason  TAKE ACTION:  Start capturing your personal story by downloading Bo's FREE Story Guide. Text GUIDE to 323-310-5504 or go to boeason.com/guide    For those of you who want to jump right in and train with Bo in-person, register for his signature three-day Personal Story Power Event. Text EVENT to 323-310-5504 or go to boeason.com/powerevent    Connect with Bo and learn more: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boeasonofficial/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boeason21/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mrboeason Website: http://BoEason.com Book: https://boeasonbook.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boeasonofficial   Timestamps [00:00:01] Introduction to Episode 200 & Guest Bo Eason [00:01:03] Bo's Journey: From the NFL to Broadway to Business Coaching [00:04:24] The Impact of Storytelling on Leadership & Influence [00:10:15] Why the Best Leaders and Athletes Have a History of Rejection [00:17:00] Vulnerability as a Leadership Superpower [00:23:33] The Role of Preparation & Rehearsal in Mastery [00:30:45] The Connection Between Athletics, Business, and Personal Growth [00:38:10] Building Resilience: How to Endure, Adapt, and Thrive [00:44:25] How to Tell Your Story for Maximum Impact [00:50:14] Final Takeaways & How to Connect with Bo  

Running a successful business isn't just about profits and performance metrics; it's about people. In this episode of the Business of Advice podcast, Cody and David pull back the curtain on how they've used their business, Advisors Excel, as a force for good. From developing innovative employee benefits to transforming neglected neighborhoods and supporting local charities, they share the intentional ways they've created a positive workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and builds a stronger, more engaged team. It's time to rethink your role as a leader — not just as someone who drives success, but as a catalyst for change in your team AND your community.

Kicking off the 100th episode with a bang!

BO EASON started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing on with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation.In 2001, Bo wrote and starred in his one-man play, Runt of the Litter, which he performed on Broadway to rave reviews. The New York Timescalled it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.” Bo toured with the play in over 50 cities and it is now being adapted as a major motion picture.Now in his third act, he speaks to and trains some of the most successful people in the world—athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, and Merrill Lynch.His book, There's No Plan B for Your A-Game: Be the Best in the World at What You Do, hit the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and USA Today bestseller lists.His training programs on leveraging the power of personal story have transformed the way experts, entrepreneurs, and leaders communicate.Head to boeason.com to learn more. —Links & resources:To follow more info about the podcast@levelup.debbienealCheck out my personal instagram account@debbie_nealThis Podcast is brought to you by Upstarter Pods

In today's digital age, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for everyone, especially those planning for retirement. In this special edition of Your Retirement Elevated we're sharing a video replay of our recent cybersecurity event with expert Ryan Fickel. Ryan is the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Advisors Excel and will be working closely with our team moving forward. This presentation covers a wide range of cybersecurity threats, from phishing attacks to ransomware and the growing dangers posed by AI. Don't miss this helpful advice on how to stay vigilant against these attempts.   Here's what we cover in this episode: 0:00 – Intro 3:48 – Where do threats come from? 8:12 – The fundamentals and preventative measures 18:28 – Phishing techniques getting more advanced 20:49 – Credit monitoring services 29:05 – Antivirus software, Windows11, wireless routers 37:22 – Credit card, identity, and password theft 42:31 – Precautions when using AI 53:51 – Q&A session   Want to connect with us? https://listentoscott.com/ https://elevatemyretirement.com/our-team/scott-m-dougan/ 913-393-4724   Watch the show on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RiT7Ky

WANT THE FULL EPISODE? Check out yesterday's episode "Ep.91 I Bo Eason I Deciding to Declare (and Achieve) Bold Goals," or download it using this link. Bo Eason draws on his experiences in the NFL and on Broadway to encourage business leaders to unlock their ultimate potential.KEY TOPICS The importance of physical and emotional grounding to improve your performance. The value of friendly competition. How we rise or fall to the level of the environments we choose. Using the L-10 rule for measuring progress. How the best leaders are captains, not superstars. Out-behaving, not necessarily outperforming your competitors. Getting good at failure and recognizing it as an integral part of success. Text PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. CONNECT WITH USwww.decidedlypodcast.com Join us on Instagram: @decidedlypodcast Join us on FacebookShawn's Instagram: @shawn_d_smith Sanger's Instagram: @sangersmith MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE“The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek"The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership" by Sam WalkerText PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION?At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy. LEARN MOREwww.decidedlywealth.comSUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY DECISION-MAKING TIP EMAIL Join us every Wednesday for more strategies to DEFEAT bad decision-making - one episode at a time! CONNECT WITH BO EASONText PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. www.boeason.com “There's No Plan B for You're A Game”: www.boeasonbook.com Bo's Story: https://boeason.com/about-bo/ Instagram: @boeason21 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boeasonofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boeasonofficial/ Bo Eason started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation. In 2001, Bo wrote and performed his one-man play, Runt of the Litter, which he performed on Broadway to rave reviews. The New York Times called it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.” Bo toured with the play in over 50 cities, and it is now being adapted as a major motion picture. In his quest for excellence on the stage, Bo trained with some of the world's most brilliant performance and movement coaches, Larry Moss and Jean-Louis Rodrigue. Now in his third act, he speaks to and trains some of the most successful people in the world—athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, and Merrill Lynch. His training programs on leveraging the power of personal stories have transformed the way speakers communicate. Your story is unique from any other. Bo will show you how to leverage your achievements and your failures in a way that captivates and connects you with your audience every time. His book, There's No Plan B for Your A-Game, Be the Best in the World at What You Do, is a NATIONAL BESTSELLER. The book debuted on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists and was named one of the 4 Hottest New Books of Fall 2019 by Inc. Magazine.

Bo Eason draws on his experiences in the NFL and on Broadway to encourage business leaders to unlock their ultimate potential.KEY TOPICS The importance of physical and emotional grounding to improve your performance. The value of friendly competition. How we rise or fall to the level of the environments we choose. Using the L-10 rule for measuring progress. How the best leaders are captains, not superstars. Out-behaving, not necessarily outperforming your competitors. Getting good at failure and recognizing it as an integral part of success. Text PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THE FULL EPISODE? Check out the 9-minute highlight clip, Ep.91 HIGHLIGHT I Good leaders are captains, not superstars. Download it directly using this link. CONNECT WITH USwww.decidedlypodcast.com Join us on Instagram: @decidedlypodcast Join us on FacebookShawn's Instagram: @shawn_d_smith Sanger's Instagram: @sangersmith MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE“The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek"The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership" by Sam WalkerText PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION?At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy. LEARN MOREwww.decidedlywealth.comSUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY DECISION-MAKING TIP EMAIL Join us every Wednesday for more strategies to DEFEAT bad decision-making - one episode at a time! CONNECT WITH BO EASONText PERSONALSTORY to 323-310-5504 to get Bo's step-by-step guide on how to capture your own powerful personal story. And to learn more about his upcoming Personal Story Power Event. www.boeason.com “There's No Plan B for You're A Game”: www.boeasonbook.com Bo's Story: https://boeason.com/about-bo/ Instagram: @boeason21 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boeasonofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boeasonofficial/ Bo Eason started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation. In 2001, Bo wrote and performed his one-man play, Runt of the Litter, which he performed on Broadway to rave reviews. The New York Times called it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.” Bo toured with the play in over 50 cities, and it is now being adapted as a major motion picture. In his quest for excellence on the stage, Bo trained with some of the world's most brilliant performance and movement coaches, Larry Moss and Jean-Louis Rodrigue. Now in his third act, he speaks to and trains some of the most successful people in the world—athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, and Merrill Lynch. His training programs on leveraging the power of personal stories have transformed the way speakers communicate. Your story is unique from any other. Bo will show you how to leverage your achievements and your failures in a way that captivates and connects you with your audience every time. His book, There's No Plan B for Your A-Game, Be the Best in the World at What You Do, is a NATIONAL BESTSELLER. The book debuted on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists and was named one of the 4 Hottest New Books of Fall 2019 by Inc. Magazine.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice—for it's not the same river, and he's not the same man." – Heraclitus I love that quote (for many reasons), but now more than ever, it holds particular significance in my life. For one, I left a 13-year career with Advisors Excel to go out on my own. It was one of the most challenging decisions of my life. And while I'm beyond grateful for everything that role opened up for me, I realized that I had hit the ceiling in my growth and knew it was time for a new challenge. Triad Partners was born! And I can tell you, I'm not the same person I was two years ago. Our team set out to flip an antiquated industry on its head, which is exactly what we're doing. Far too often, I've seen advisors sacrifice their marriages, health, relationships, and everything else that matters to walk across an industry stage recognizing their "success." That model is broken, and we're on a mission to fix it. Not only do we partner with the top 1% of independent financial advisors, but we help them create unlimited growth and freedom in both their business AND life. At Triad Partners, we call this #DBDL or "Doing Business. Doing Life." That brings me to the second reason that quote rings true. This is episode one of the new podcast, "Do Business. Do Life.", appropriately named after everything Triad Partners stands for. It's an evolution of my original podcast, which many advisors grew to love. This podcast is my attempt to help growth-minded financial advisors reimagine what's possible. So, if you want to build your business faster than ever while also living life on your terms, hit subscribe, and get ready to level up! JOIN THE DBDL INSIDER CREWTo become a DBDL Insider and get VIP access to free resources and exclusive content, text "DBDL" to 785-800-3235. *Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to opt-out of receiving text messages.SHOW NOTESTo get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit https://bradleyjohnson.com/1FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALTwitterInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTube - Full InterviewsYouTube - Clips from the ShowTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE These conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into the advisory practice, advisors are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed is in accordance with any and all regulatory and compliance responsibilities and obligations.

Joining us from Topeka, Kansas, we're excited to welcome Dave LaGue, Director of Sales and Marketing at Advisors Excel, on Bridging The Gap.  We open the conversation by discussing the importance of letting go, and Dave shares some small wins from people who have let go of aspects of their wealth management firms and the success they experienced. He also shares tips to help start letting go, whether in our professional or personal lives. We also have a fun conversation around the sales processes to selling wealth management services to individuals, and the power of having thinking time. We also talk about the importance of having your workflows documented. Bio: Dave's focus on the team is finding and building relationships with advisors who are not currently with Advisors Excel. He LOVES to connect hungry advisors with best practices and relationships that help them get what they want out of their businesses. In the half-decade he's been in the business, he has been fortunate enough to interact with several of the top producers in the country. These producers have a high caliber of character and have enabled him to help many others solve their frustrations and grow their practices by graciously sharing their playbooks. Dave has helped advisors effortlessly transition into the AE community, often more than doubling their business while increasing their quality of life along the way. Behind the Scenes: When I am not in the office, you will probably find me at home in Lawrence, Kansas with my wife and high school sweetheart, Makenzie, and our three kids. I love hanging out with my kids, and when we finally get them to bed, Makenzie and I have a weekly Monopoly game night over Zoom with college friends from across the country. Every game, the winner gets to Sharpie their name on the winner's board, so there's a great deal at stake every week. I love long conversations with good friends and having a good laugh. Follow Us And Find More Content For Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Firms At: www.mattreiner.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrca3m7ryDjzNrGs0rDzZFQ (YouTube) https://twitter.com/mattreiner (Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridging-the-gap-mattreiner/ (LinkedIn)

Tom Siomades, chief investment officer at AE Wealth Management and Advisors Excel, says that he believes the economy has been in recession for much of this year, and that he sees that ending as soon as the Federal Reserve gets inflation under control, which he expects to happen by early next year. He notes that the pundits calling for recession next year are late to the game; meanwhile, that time frame makes it easier for investors to stay the course with the investment portfolios built during the bull market. Also on the show, Matt Brannon of Clever Real Estate discusses the site's new survey showing that inflation is forcing roughly 40 percent of Americans to change buying habits on everyday goods, but which also highlights ways in which consumers misunderstand how inflation works and how bad the current situation is relative to the past. And in the Market Call, portfolio manager Adam Coons of Winthrop Capital Management discusses exchange-traded funds and the difficulty of finding issues that can be productive "satellites" to a core portfolio now.

Creating the “ultimate client experience” is something we should all aspire to, and it's something that drives Chief Operating Officer Mike Miller and his team at Advisors Excel every day.   Mike and host Sagi Eliyahu discuss:   - Different ways to surprise and delight customers.   - The importance of considering the end user first when exploring changes or new programs.   - Offering team members the proper training and mindset to deliver great customer interactions.   This episode is brought to you by Tonkean   Tonkean is the operating system for business operations and is the enterprise standard for process orchestration. It provides businesses with the building blocks to orchestrate any process, with no code or change management required. Contact us at tonkean.com to learn how you can build complex business processes. Fast.   #Operations #BusinessOperations

Our guest is Cody Foster, co-founder of Advisors Excel, one of the fastest growing and most influential financial services companies in the US today. He's also the host of the Business of Advice Podcast, interviewing thought leaders, captains of industry, and best-selling authors. We talk about building corporate culture, why hiring is crucial, how to maintain excellence while delegating, the power of connection, and much more. Plus, check out the list of 8 Podcasts You Should Know and Subscribe to Today. Make sure to visit H3leadership.com to access the list and all the show notes. Thanks again to our partners for this episode: Convoy of Hope—the trusted partner for delivering food and relief by responding to disasters all around the world. Donate today. Right now, Convoy is helping war victims in Ukraine, providing basic needs like food, hygiene supplies, medical supplies, blankets, bedding, clothing, and more—all through partnering with local churches. To donate, click here and support their incredible work. And, LEADR—a people development software that helps you engage and grow every person on your team, developing leaders at scale with consistent 1:1 meetings, clear goals, and regular feedback. Visit LEADR.com for more info and to request a free demo. Start better caring for and developing your team today at LEADR.com.

My guest today is Cody Foster, the co-founder of Advisors Excel in Topeka, Kan. His company has a mission of helping good financial advisors become great business owners so they can help people enjoy an amazing retirement. Since they were founded in 2005, they've grown from three founders to about 800 employees, making them one of the largest employers in Topeka. They've been named a great place to work for four years. 5:10 – Cody 101 Advisors Excel sits between financial advisors and insurance and investment companies they access products through. Cody dreamed of working with a professional sports team. But in college, his grandma declared bankruptcy on a business. He wanted to learn more about money and financial services. 7:20 – How does Advisors Excel work? It's the simplest business model, but hard to explain. Advisors Excel represents about 50 different insurance companies, like Nationwide, etc. Financial advisors go through Cody's company to work with the insurance companies. 13:53 – Healthy paranoia Cody has a healthy paranoia, knowing that he has to keep growing and developing. As the leader, you have to be the most committed to your personal growth and development. 20:50 – Lessons learned about money If you inherit money but haven't done things to develop as a person, you will struggle. You need to grow into a person who can handle major responsibilities. Cody didn't grow up with a lot of money, so he is able to be content no matter how much money he has. 26:44 – Being generous Financially successful people tend to be more generous. Instead of talking about being generous, show people how to do it. 38:47 – Employees and strangers Cody read a book about Andrew Carnegie, who did not treat his workers well but was very generous with strangers. It blows Cody's mind when bosses treat strangers better than their employees. 50:46 – College visits Cody was struck by how college visits with his son were so different. Some colleges took extra care to make potential students feel special. That can translate to your business. 56:30 – Jones Project Josh Jones was a close friend of Cody's and a key team member. He struggled with mental health issues and took his life last year. On June 1, the Jones Project launched to help more people. 1:03:00 – Get to know you Has he ever been nervous to interview anyone? Yes, President Bush Favorite TV show as a kid? Andy Griffith Show FEATURED QUOTES In my ideal, dream world, nobody would know who I am. I'm actually a lot more of an introvert than an extrovert. I have been able to model generosity in action and inspire other people. I wish we told more stories about the companies and the people that are super generous, because they outweigh those that are not. As the leader, you have to be the most committed to your personal growth and development. The happiest people tend to be the most generous people. CONNECT: https://www.advisorsexcel.com/?rel=Logo https://twitter.com/codygfoster Thank you to our partners of the show! Are you looking to clean up your household cleaning products this year? MamaSuds would like to help! The best way is to simply start with one product. Every time you run out of a specific cleaning product, replace it with a non-toxic one. Another tip, purchase a product that has multiple uses. The MamaSuds Collection has many multiple use products (castile soap or the toilet bombs are just a few!). Their blog has lots of great tips and a castile soap recipe that you can print and make a lot of your own effective cleaners! Give them a try at www.mamasuds.com and don't forget to use the coupon code MOLLY for 15% off your order! I'd like to thank our other partner of the show and that's Tradlands. Tradlands is an INCREDIBLE sustainable fashion brand that believes in clothing that you can live in NOW and love forever. Clothing that not only makes you feel like your best self, but also fits in a way that flatters. Their gorgeous dresses, pants, tops, and more are designed to move with you throughout your busy days. Their Nico dress is my dress in a love language —not only does it have sleeves, but also POCKETS and you know how I feel about dresses with pockets. I love how comfortable and stylish each piece - and they come in colors like classic neutrals or vibrant hues. One of the things I love most about Tradlands is their focus on sustainability and creating small batch clothing that lasts… they never over produce what they make and focus on only the highest quality materials. And you know how much I love supporting small businesses, too. Check them out at https://tradlands.com/businesswithpurpose and use the code MOLLY20 for 20% off!

As host of The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, Tyler Dickerhoof has interviewed dozens of the world's authorities on leadership, entrepreneurship and making a difference. His latest episode with Cody Foster — co-founder of Advisors Excel and host of The Business of Advice with Cody Foster podcast — checks off all three of those boxes. Be sure to catch this special crossover episode to learn more about the man behind the microphone!

Todd Morrissey is President of Medicare Solutions at Advisors Excel. Advisors Excel is a nationwide firm based out of Topeka. It helps independent financial professionals, advisors, and wealth managers build independent practices.This episode will give you an insider's view into why financial planners, wealth managers and their firms haven't typically gotten very involved in Medicare insurance coverage. But, that's changing and Todd reviews why it's very important to start planning for Medicare well before age 64, how taxes and IRMAA play a part of the equation as well as HSAs.Full episode transcript, notes. quotes and links:https://themattferetshow.com"What I will tell you is some individuals who look at a Medicare Advantage and they see what a max out of pocket is, but they say to themselves, "Well, but I'm not paying a premium every month. I can write that check for the max out of pocket." So they know they have that. But you're right. There are some clients where a financial advisor is talking to them and they say, "Look, I want to go to the doctor. I want to not have any out of pocket expense. I just want to pay my premium." Well, then a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) is something that they would consider. The adage of one size does not fit everybody is definitely true in the Medicare space."-Todd Morrissey, Advisors ExcelThe Matt Feret ShowPrepare for MedicareThe Matt Feret Show YouTube Channel#HSA, #IRMAA, #Medicare, #Medigap, #MedicareSupplement, #IRMAA, #Financialplanner, #Wealthmanagement, #PlanG, #PlanN, #PrepareforMedicare, #TMFS, #TheMattFeretShow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do great leaders improve and develop the environments they work in? Why do healthy leaders multiply success? Can you dedicate time to connecting with the people that inspire you? Cody is a co-founder of Advisors Excel and he leads an organization of over 700 employees who manage many millions of dollars of assets. Regardless of his success, Cody is easily one of the most humble, likeable, and approachable people I have had the pleasure of meeting. In this episode, Cody shares what's important to him as a leader; having the desire and heart to grow. Thanks for listening! I'd love to connect with you over on Instagram @impactdrivenleader SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: Click here Join the Impact Driven Leadership Community Sign up for The Impact Driven Leader Book Club WEBSITE: www.impactdrivenleaderpodcast.com

Nate interviews Jim Bowman, President of Life Insurance at Advisors Excel, about a new concept that is a great alternative to cash. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual's situation. None of the information contained herein shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy any investment or insurance product. The information and opinions presented by Jim Bowman are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm providing you with this content, or Advisors Excel or AE Wealth Management, LLC. Jim Bowman is not a client of Miller Retirement Group and does not endorse the firm. All individuals should make their own evaluation of the firm and their services. Jim Bowman is president of Life Insurance at Advisors Excel. Advisors Excel receives compensation for facilitating the sale of life insurance. Advisors Excel and Miller Retirement Group are independent entities. Key takeaways: Cash Alternative Life Insurance Preparing for retirement Surrender Charges Legacy Accel Liquidity Tax Free Death Benefit Chronic Illness Rider

Today, Cory Swain, the Vice President of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel, joins us. He's helping advisors improve their marketing tactics while scaling their business. Cory and his wife have been married for over ten years and have three children. In his free time, he enjoys surfing and traveling.    Cory finds balance and synergy by involving his spouse in his career journey. Family life and work-life don't have to be separate for Cory. He finds the more his family understands his work, the more time they spend together.    A lot of us struggle with delegation when our businesses start to grow. But the next thing you know, you are spreading yourself too thin. Cory is helping good advisors become great CEOs through marketing, delegation, and balance.    What we further discuss in today's episode:  Having a bigger purpose when we set goals  Why advisors struggle with delegation, hiring, and running a business Finding the things you love to do and learning to let go of the rest  How marketing has changed since 2020 and what the future holds What factors make an advisor successful in virtual work  How Cory's business takes good advisors and makes them great CEOs    TIMESTAMPS 1:12 – Living in Kansas, but loving to surf  3:52 – Cory's definition of balance  5:51 – Understanding why we are here 7:58 – Struggles advisors face  10:40 – Having a hard time letting go  14:40 – Learning to let go  16:28 – Marketing changes after 2020  19:30 – Balance when working from home  25:53 – Cory's marketing approach  27:17 – Things you can do differently  30:00 – Contacting Cory and The Proven Way    RESOURCES Learn more: Cory Swain and The Proven Way  Email: travis@travisparry.com Get Travis' newest book!

As a financial advisor, marketing towards clients and prospects can be a tricky process.  But it shouldn't be. Because you not only want to attract new clients but also impress the clients you already have, all while improving staff morale.  In this episode, Brad Swineheart speaks with Matthew Newman, chief strategy officer at Advisors Excel, … Continue reading 40. Successful Marketing Methods for Advisors to Generate Clients With Matthew Neuman →

How can we teach our kids about money and encourage them to develop smart financial habits? And what can we do to help our kids learn the hard way and make their own mistakes without getting hurt?  To help answer these questions, my special guest today is Mike Miller. He's a family man with three adult daughters, COO at Advisors Excel, creator of the First Habits System, and the author of First Habits Win: Prime Your Children for a Lifetime of Financial Success with This Simple System.  In today's conversation, Mike shares the story of how his parents set him up to be a financial disaster, what he did to make sure his daughters weren't set up to fail like he was, and the different ways they achieved success.  We also dig into the brain chemistry behind spenders, savers, and whatevers, Mike's unique First Habits System, and how to create your own roadmap to help your kids achieve financial independence and live abundantly for generations to come!   P.S. If you loved this episode, please write a review on iTunes, take a screenshot, and send it to info@frontrowdads.com, and I'll buy you a copy of Mike's book!   Mike Miller Podcast Highlights What Mike did to start managing his kids' money when they turned 12–and how it proved highly beneficial. Why do projects we try with our kids fizzle out so frequently? How Mike wrecked his life when he became financially independent as a young adult. How Mike's daughters showed him the different types of money personalities. Why our kids live in our financial comfort zones–and why this doesn't work when our kids get their first entry-level jobs. How do financial issues lead to anxiety, divorce, suicide, and other tough social issues? How to talk to your kids about inflation, cryptocurrency, and some of the other financial topics that come up in our daily lives. The value of introducing things in stages. What defines financial success? What does it mean to achieve flourishing wealth? Why are our financial challenges never truly over at any age? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/285 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

Cody Foster joins Phillip on this unique and super interesting episode of The Undefeated Marketing Podcast. Who is Cody Foster? He's co-founder of Advisors Excel (a financial marketing organization responsible for helping 500 advisors do $8.2 billion in annuity, medicare, and life insurance production in 2020) and host of “The Business of Advice” podcast... The post The Best Value Propositions and the Top Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business with Cody Foster appeared first on Phillip Stutts.

Cody Foster joins Phillip on this unique and super interesting episode of The Undefeated Marketing Podcast. Who is Cody Foster? He's co-founder of Advisors Excel (a financial marketing organization responsible for helping 500 advisors do $8.2 billion in annuity, medicare, and life insurance production in 2020) and host of “The Business of Advice” podcast... The post The Best Value Propositions and the Top Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business with Cody Foster appeared first on Phillip Stutts.

What You Will Learn: How Cody's career led him to become a financial advisor and co-founding a business, and what early challenges he faced, and lessons he learned as an entrepreneur How Cody and his teamwork to help small business owners who “happen to be financial advisors” Why the biggest challenge Cody faced as an entrepreneur was learning to let go of responsibility and develop his delegation skills How the process of learning to delegate worked for Cody, and why it's crucial to make sure that the person you're delegating to is able to do the job the way you want it done Why delegating responsibility also means offering accountability, and why Cody had to learn to clearly define expectations How Cody learned to work in the business less and to work on the business through strategic planning and looking to the future Why Cody attributes the growth and success of Advisors Excel to hiring great people and investing in their growth How the leader that manages all of Advisors Excel's digital marketing efforts started with the company as an intern, and why promoting from within has proven a winning strategy Why overhiring for a position is an unexpected pitfall, and why it's crucial that your new hires fit with your company's Culture Why it's usually obvious within a short time if someone isn't a great Culture fit for your organization, and why you need to address it quickly About Cody Foster Cody Foster is one of the co-founders of Advisors Excel. In 2004, after leaving a corporate job to partner with David Callanan to be independent financial advisors, he realized the support system for independent advisors was dramatically insufficient. So, in 2005, along with third partner Derek Thompson, they formed Advisors Excel with a goal of building a world-class support structure for independent financial advisors across the country. Today they have over 650 employees and are responsible for generating over $7 billion in annual sales. Their success in achieving this has led to their story being featured in Success Magazine, Darren Hardy's book “The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster” and Tony Robbins' #1 New York Times bestselling book, “Money, Master the Game.” Cody graduated from Washburn University in 1999 and has made Topeka his home ever since. He is a big believer in the future of the capital city of Kansas – having served as the Chairman of the Greater Topeka Partnership and a leading investor and developer in quality of life initiatives including The Cyrus Hotel, The Pennant, and Iron Rail Brewing. As much as he enjoys business, his real love is family. Cody, and his wife Jennifer, a Topeka native and fellow Washburn graduate, have been married since 2001 and have two children, Dylan and Ella. Resources: Website: www.advisorsexcel.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cody-foster-9013637 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/advisors-excel/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/advisorsexcel/ Twitter: @AdvisorsExcel1 Additional Resources: Elite Business Health Assessment: https://growwithelite.com/health Email: info@GrowWithElite.com Website: https://growwithelite.com/

When Cody Foster was a junior in college, his mom called one morning and told him that his grandma was losing her café, and that she was going to declare bankruptcy. She was 64 years old, divorced, and was about to lose her sole source of income for the last three decades.  This sent Cody on a quest to better understand money, which then led him to found Advisors Excel in Topeka, Kansas. Advisors Excel has grown from three founders to over 650 employees since 2005, working tirelessly to help the best financial advisors get even better. He is also the founder of AIM Strategies, where he uses his passion and knowledge for real estate and development to help others grow their businesses. Today, Cody joins the podcast to talk about how he first became interested in learning about money, how his mission is to make sure that what happened to his grandmother never happens to anybody that he cares about again, and the power of creating lasting success in people’s lives. Overcomer Playlist Recommendation Lecrae - Fear Pearls of Wisdom Be very aware and thoughtful about what you’re putting into your mind. Always pay yourself first. Automate and start saving money, as life inevitably gets tougher when you don’t. Live debt-free as much as you can. Show Notes To get access to the full show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit LifeWithArwen.com/39 Get The Book! She Handled It, So Can You!: An Inspiring and Empowering Financial Guide for Women Connect with Arwen Becker Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Rate & Review If you enjoyed today’s episode of She Handled It, hit the subscribe button in Apple Podcasts, (or wherever you listen) so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review over on Apple Podcasts. Reviews go a long way in helping us build awareness so that we can impact even more people. THANK YOU!

In today's episode, I'm speaking with my friend Brad Johnson. Brad is the host of The Elite Advisor Blueprint® podcast and coach to elite level independent financial advisors. As the former VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel, Brad coached a group of independent advisors managing over $1billion of assets annually. Brad has recently chosen to leave a 10+ year career to build a company of his own. We talk about this major life change and how he knew he was ready to leave, the key philosophical difference between money and wealth, and why now is the time to take a step — no matter how big or small — toward living the life you truly want. Key Takeaways What Brad learned from some of the greatest minds in the financial industry — and how he knew it was time to move on from a company he spent over a decade with. The importance of creating freedom of time — doing what you want, when you want, with whoever you want. The true meaning of wealth and why making more money is a shortsighted goal. The investing strategy that piggybacks off the most brilliant people in the world. The reason so many people have an unbalanced approach to investing. The top three skills Brad believes helped him achieve success in business AND life. The most powerful piece of advice Brad ever received about retirement. The #1 habit to achieve success with your goals.   Want the Full Show Notes? To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit JustinDonald.com/2 Get the Book To get access to The Lifestyle Investor: The 10 Commandments of Cashflow Investing for Passive Income and Financial Freedom visit JustinDonald.com/book Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of The Lifestyle Investor, hit the subscribe button in Apple Podcasts, (or wherever you listen) so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review. Reviews go a long way in helping us build awareness so that we can impact even more people. THANK YOU! Connect with Justin Donald Facebook YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Twitter

Jim Bowman is the President of Life Operations at Advisors Excel, and someone I’ve known for many years. I’ve spoken to him for many hours about today’s topic - life insurance - well before we ever decided to record this podcast and his deep knowledge on the topic has proven hugely valuable to countless advisors - myself included. Life insurance isn’t just about ensuring that your family has cash flow in the event that you pass away or sustain a career-ending injury. It can also be used as powerful investment, a source of tax-free income, a way to cover long-term care, and for cash management. Today, Jim joins the podcast to discuss the major misconceptions surrounding life insurance, how to use life insurance as a protective policy and an investment tool over the course of your life and career, and the many different ways to put this asset class to work for you. Show Notes: RetireWithPurpose.com/164 Rate & Review the Podcast: RetireWithPurpose.com/review Weekly Retirement Newsletter: RetireWithPurpose.com/weekend-reading

Good Morning…I’m Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and your host for Onward Nation. One of the things that I love most about my role at Predictive — is that every single day — I have an opportunity to talk with, work alongside with, and teach and share with business owners just like you. They might own a marketing or advertising agency as I do, or they might be a rockin’ awesome business coach, or maybe the owners of a consultancy — and they too love being in the trenches being helpful…sharing the best of what they’ve got with their audience…and as a result…they’ve started to — or have already — built a nation of true fans. All of the what, why’s, and how to’s for build a nation of true fans is what we’re going to focus on in today’s solocast. I’ll map it out in full transparency — and as always — please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I’m happy to help. As you’ll hear in a few minutes — your first step in building your nation of true fans has nothing to do with the actual content delivery platform — channel — or the type of cornerstone content you create — but has everything to do with the value and helpfulness of what you will be creating, sharing, and delivering to your audience, because your nation of true fans will be built on a foundation of valuable, super helpful content that your audience can use to be better at their jobs everyday. Your nation of true fans will know your heart and that your intention is to help them grow, to learn, and to be better. It never feels like a transactional relationship. They don’t feel like you’re trying to monetize them. Do they spend money on your services and what your team provides — yes — your true fans do. And the rest of your audience are there just for the golden nuggets — and that’s 100 percent okay. So let’s begin walking down this path — you and I are going to take a look at strategy and tactics for how you can build a nation of true fans from the cornerstone content you are creating on a consistent basis. The way you win long-term is by creating content that develops and nurtures long-term relationships with your audience. These relationships are what Wired Magazine founder Kevin Kelly calls “True Fans.” And in my opinion — true fans represent your ROI Scorecard’s ultimate vital metric. To paraphrase Kelly — any business owner can create a solid revenue stream around a community of approximately 1,000 people when they are “True Fans” of what the company sells and when there is a connection between the company and its fans based on the value provided. In this solocast — I will illustrate how a consistent effort toward creating consistent cornerstone content can create a nation of true fans for your business, too. Your nation of true fans will be fans of you, fans of your point of view, and fans of the helpful content you create and share. Your fans will support you because of the sacred bond you have built with them and because you consistently delivered massive value through your content. Okay — now let’s get dialed in on building your nation of true fans: a sense of community, collaboration, and profitability around your business. And could there be a more critical time than right now to do this for your business, Onward Nation? If you get this right — it will be a super helpful strategy to not only help you come roaring out the other side of this recession — but — this strategy will help you future proof your business for years to come. Let’s begin by breaking the phrase “Build a nation of true fans” into its three core ingredients. The first is “build”, the second is “nation”, and the third is “true fans.” Ingredient #1: Build…as in your platform. How would you begin to “build” a nation of true fans? You’d begin with selecting the form of cornerstone content where you intend to share your insights and wisdom with your audience — or eventual audience. Whether that’s a… Podcast Speaking Blog Video series Research project Writing a book Or something else The platform you choose is irrelevant from a tech perspective. Any or all of the above can help you build a nation of true fans. The tech behind it all is relatively easy. Is there a learning curve? Sure. Will you feel at times like you are trying to fly the space shuttle with so many knobs and buttons to push? Sure. How does Facebook Live work? What time of day should I create a story on Instagram? What kind of camera and mic are best if I want to be a serious YouTuber? All of these are tech questions — and within an afternoon with your best friend Google — you can solve those problems and find the answers as long as you don’t let the fear of the unknown become paralyzing to you. So let’s shift our focus away from the tech — and instead — focus on the value you will be providing through those channels? What’s your story? How will you serve your audience? How will you make what you are doing so valuable to their business or life, that they actually consider you to be indispensable? How will you become so consistent in the help, advice, recommendations, and over value that you are providing on a consistent basis — that you BUILD deposits in their emotional bank account? They begin to trust you — they begin to like you — and then because of them liking you and trusting you…they move even closer to you by truly KNOWING you. So, your first step in building your nation of true fans has nothing to do with the actual content delivery platform and has everything to do with the value of what you will be delivering — because your nation of true fans is built on VALUE. And if you get that right — the actual platform — or your conduit through which you share your value — will fall into place — and it will feel less stressful because the value you were called — put on this Earth to deliver — will then be in the driver’s seat. You, Onward Nation — will become unstoppable. Will there be profit to be made for your business because you built a nation of true fans? Of course. To date — Onward Nation has helped Predictive ROI generate over $4 million in revenue and we feel blessed and honored about that result outcome. And we believe that this result outcome was made possible because we never placed ourselves first. Ever. Now let’s shift our attention toward Ingredient #2: “Nation.” And I want to make sure we address this because we live in a world where bigger lists, bigger subscribers, massive downloads, huge customer lists, etc. etc. etc. is what attracts headlines and massive attention. You don’t need an email list of 100,000 people. You don’t need to have a podcast that gets a million downloads a month. You don’t need to have a customer list with 20,000 prospects on it. Nope. You don’t. That’s not your Nation. What you need — realistically — depending on the size of your business is somewhere between 100 to 1,000 high-qualified prospects. That’s it…100 to 1,000 of the very best prospects who precisely match your client avatar — in fact — your knowledge with some of these people is so deep that you can boldly claim them as your Dream 25 prospects. If you need a refresher on why your Dream 25 matters — go back to Episode 308 of Onward Nation — and I map it all out — how to figure out who your Dream 25 is — and — how to romance your Dream 25 so they understand how important they are to you. To take this point deeper — I want to share a very tangible example of a company that grew from zero to become a multi-billion a year company — yes — billion — with a capital B. My mentor, Darren Hardy, former publisher of SUCCESS Magazine…decided to interview my friend Cody Foster, co-founder of Advisors Excel and to share the interview on the SUCCESS CD that rides along with the magazine. During the interview with Darren, Cody shared several personal stories of very humble beginnings — and how those stories — helped shaped the kind of company Advisors Excel has become. A company packed full — wall to wall — of incredible people — a team whose sole focus is to deliver more and more value every day to the financial advisors around the country they are there to serve. And Advisors Excel team does it masterfully well. They have BUILT their platform — a platform that is indeed built on a solid foundation of value. But…did they build this platform by trying to serve the 60,000 financial advisors located in the state of Florida alone? No. How about all of the financial advisors up and down the west coast? Nope. Did they focus on spending large amounts of advertising dollars trying to reach everyone they could with their message of value, value, value? Not at all. Instead…they meticulously selected 1,000 of the very best financial advisors who they wanted to earn the opportunity to serve. Yes, Onward Nation, Cody shared with Darren that they built a list of 1,000 financial advisors — just 1,000 — and then they went to work to deliver more value than another other insurance marketing organization in the industry to the 1,000 advisors they wanted to work with. The 1,000 advisors became their Nation…and advisors outside of the Nation didn’t exist. Advisors Excel was solely focused on being the best they could be for this small group of prospects. So what was the result outcome? Well, in year 8 of the business…they reached over $8 billion in revenue. $8 billion, Onward Nation. When they are the right prospects — you don’t need 10,000…you actually only need a small number to make your business amazingly successful and profitable. 1,000 people — who you can love on — who you can support — who you can add value to — who then in turn are excited to do for you some of what you already shared with them. Okay — now let’s move to Ingredient #3 — True Fans We’ll begin by taking the number 1,000 — deeper — because it is a magical number and a vital priority for your business. According to Kevin Kelly, if a business created a base of customers who were more like fans — 1,000 True Fans — then that business could become sustainable and profitable by simply focusing on the needs of its true fans. And if you visit the Show Notes for today’s solocast…you will find a link to Kevin Kelly’s blog post as well as the long tail curve he created to illustrate the 1,000 true fans strategy. Kelly describes “True Fans” as customers who will help you mobilize and move your business onward to that next level. They are true fans of you — true fans of your message — true fans of your business. They will support you because of the sacred bond you have built with them. A bond that was built upon — and continues to be built upon — the foundation of the value you create, you deliver, and the value you share with them on a consistent basis. Whether you do that every day — every week — no matter what the schedule — no matter what the rhythm — the fact that you are consistent is what is important. According to Kevin, “A True Fan” is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to visit your location. They will buy the super deluxe version of your product even though they already own the standard version, too. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They have bookmarked your website. They come to your product announcements — or — ribbon cutting ceremonies for a new office location. They come to your book signings and ask for you to sign their copy. They cannot wait for your next webinar — your next podcast episode — your next event — your next release of whatever. And the best way to increase sales for your company is to connect with your True Fans directly…so you need to have a platform built on value…see? We keep coming back to that foundational truth. Onward Nation, 1,000 true fans is a very reasonable number. As Kevin explains in his brilliant blog post… “if you added one fan a day, it would take only three years. True Fanship is doable. Pleasing a True Fan is pleasurable, and invigorating.” The key challenge is that you have to maintain direct contact with your 1,000 True Fans. And you do that through building your platform — delivering value — and making sure you are using the right conduit so it reaches your 1,000 true fans on a consistent basis. Again…it doesn’t matter if you use a podcast, blog, write a book, video series, or some other form of cornerstone content. What’s important to identify is not the form of content where you’re most comfortable — but — the platform your fans use the most. What’s the best conduit to them? For me — it’s this podcast, the books I write, the annual research we do, the webinars where I can teach longer form, and the videos we share every Sunday. But there is also another piece to True Fans…and that are the concentric circles of “Lesser Fans.” This segment of your audience will not purchase everything you produce, and may not seek out direct contact, but they will buy much of what you produce. The processes you develop to feed your True Fans will also nurture Lesser Fans. As you build your nation of True Fans, you will also add many more Lesser Fans. And as you are building…don’t avoid…don’t miss the opportunity to go deep…to develop intimacy with your audience…with your true fans. Onward Nation…that’s one of the reasons I ask for feedback so often. My team and I legitimately want to get better — but — I also want to hear from you — to get to know you — to learn from you — and to deliver even more value so Onward Nation becomes — and hopefully remains — your most favorite podcast. Okay…you now have a tangible recipe for building your own nation of true fans — and when you do — your nation will become this amazing, awesome, wonderful, beautiful, incredible community of people who are generous with their feedback and help guide your business in the right direction to deliver value. Consider Kevin Kelly’s lesson as you build out your cornerstone content. Ask yourself how you can continually add more and more value like Cody Foster and his team at Advisors Excel. Because when you build your nation — and focus on being helpful not transactions — your business, your team, and your life move onward to a completely new level. So with that…I want to say thank you again for taking the time to be here with me today. It’s always an honor to have you here. I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the strategies we learn from today’s top business owners. And please continue to let me know what you think of Onward Nation…good or bad…I always want your feedback. That’s how we get better. Remember — now’s the time to double down — all of the data is on your side. Until next week — onward with gusto!

Our guest today is Advisors Excel’s Chief-Operating-Officer, Mike Miller. Mike is also the Chief Executive Officer of the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Go Modern. Both Advisors Excel and Go Modern are located in Topeka Kansas. Prior to joining Advisors Excel in 2013, he spent 20 years in the manufacturing industry holding executive positions in operations, … The post Ep. 127 – Advisors Excel Chief Marketing Officer, Mike Miller appeared first on COO Alliance.

Chris Radford, President of AE Wealth Management, the wealth management division of Advisors Excel, comes on the Namastir Podcast to discuss how the son of a furniture salesman became the President of one of the 10 fastest growing Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firms in the country.Chris focuses on "We" rather than, "I" when discussing the topic of success and when asked to point to how he builds effective times, Chris discusses the importance of listening to, and caring for, your employees in order to get "buy in".Blair has Chris walk him through his childhood aspirations, how he found financial services, and when "the light came on" that he could lead an organization at its highest level.What emerges throughout the conversation is that Chris does not fit the ego-centric model of leadership, but rather approaches it from the perspective of servant leadership.

To say that we’re living in interesting and unpredictable times is an understatement. For business owners and leaders, this is especially true. However, no matter what industry you’re in, or what you do, there’s still no tool more powerful than a team that’s ahead of you and allows you to focus on your unique ability. They give us the power to grow our businesses without giving up even more of our time and to see our visions through.  Gina Rainey understands this better than almost anyone. She’s the leader of AE Coach at Advisors Excel, where she specializes in “total practice management.” She helps advisors bridge the gap between leaders and their employees, and has helped countless businesses struggling with a lack of structure and high turnover become high-performing organizations.  Today, Gina joins the podcast to share what business owners can do right now to lead their companies, be the person that their employees look to, and get through these (and other) difficult times together.  In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  How coaches and practice management can help businesses survive - and thrive - in times of chaos.  Why so many phenomenal business owners are not great managers or team leaders - and how this creates problems as businesses scale.  Why entrepreneurs can thrive in crisis, why employees often feel the exact opposite way, and how to empower and support your team members as circumstances change.  How the job search and recruiting processes have changed over the last 6 months - and how to find qualified people in a massive pool of job seekers. What leaders can do to set up and structure effective weekly meetings when teams are working remotely. What COVID can teach us about planning our own businesses - not just our clients’.  Interview Resources E-myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About it The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8am) Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future PayScale Salesforce Pardot Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine Xero The Road Less Stupid

People are desperate for connection right now. What are you doing to show your clients that you’re there for them? In this episode, Matt speaks with Brad Johnson, VP of advisor development at Advisors Excel and host of The Elite Advisor Blueprint podcast. Brad walks you through a much-needed and effective marketing strategy right now that only requires financial advisors to have a telephone and a work ethic. In this episode, you will learn:   About the best marketing tactics that Brad has seen advisors do Why marketing is a combination of science and art What people are really looking for when they attend seminars The purpose of making connection calls during isolation –– and how they’re different from sales calls How to ask for referrals through connection calls And more! Tune in now and learn how to start making connection calls today! Resources: Top Advisor Marketing | Brad Johnson | The Virtual Advisor Series | The Elite Advisor Blueprint Podcast | Virtual Advisor Episode With Pat Quinn | The Virtual Advisor Series™ Facebook Group | Brad Johnson on LinkedIn  Brought to you by: iris.xyz 

In this episode, Coach P has a conversation with businessman extraordinaire, Cody Foster, about starting a business, building up a city, being a family man, and sticking to priorities. Cody Foster is the Founder of Advisors Excel in Topeka, KS, and has built one of the most successful businesses in America. He is also a man of great Faith and takes philanthropy to the next level. To learn more about Cody and his work, check out the links below: https://www.advisorsexcel.com/ https://aimstrategiesllc.com/ http://www.aim5.org/ *** If you enjoy Coach P's Perspective Podcast, please consider doing a few things: Subscribe and then give it a 5-star rating on iTunes. Write an awesome review of what you love about the show. Please share the episode on your social media pages.  Thank You and much love! *** Be sure to connect with Coach P on Social Media for more inspirational messages and coaching: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachchadparks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachchadparks/ *** Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please e-mail Coach Chad Parks at coachchadparks@gmail.com *** Intro music by Gerald Gray, aka Twish Foaves. You can follow Twish Foaves at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twishfoaves/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristStillLives Music: https://www.reverbnation.com/twishfoaves https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ihETkx53RJujUl0nXg3gh?si=fgst7mo0TVyHZdETIoTk4g *** Check out the Lane Frost Brand at: https://lanefrost.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lanefrostbrand/ https://www.facebook.com/lanefrost89/ *** Coach P's favorite nutritional products: https://shop.teamxnd.com/coachchadparks/Home    

In this episode we visit with the Director of Community Engagement for Advisors Excel, Lindsay Freeman, about community partners coming together to help those in need. We are stronger together!To support TRM Ministries click here: https://pushpay.com/g/trmonline?src=hpp

Since the advent of the commercial internet, Stephen Woessner has collected tens of thousands of data points that have given him the ability to identify what he calls the 8 Money Draining Mistakes. These are the things that literally cause a website to leak serious money every day. Stephen teaches companies and organizations how to fix them and how to fix them immediately. Stephen also teaches how to apply what he calls the 8 Money Making Opportunities. These are the things that really matter because they increase financial return on investment in the digital world by 200 to 500 percent or more in 12-months or less. And all of this can be done without needing technical skills. Stephen is the host of the Onward Nation podcast, CEO of Predictive ROI, a digital marketing authority, speaker, educator, and bestselling author of two books, The Small Business Owners Handbook to Search Engine Optimization and Increase Online Sales Through Viral Social Networking. Clients include Cisco, Advisors Excel, Agency Management Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and others. Linda Fassig-Knauer, US Channels, Cisco Systems, said Stephen really engaged the audience at our SMB Advisory Council. His presentation hit the mark. His digital marketing insights have been featured in Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Washington Post. Stephen's practical and tactical training sessions and keynote presentations teach the valuable principle of predicting and then measuring financial return on investment (ROI) before any action is taken. He has also developed a mathematical, patent-pending process that can be used to predict the increase in online sales a business can achieve based on his methods. What You Will Learn: Stephen's journey into entrepreneurship How Predictive ROI has differentiates itself from other digital marketing agencies Why Stephen is considering inorganic growth right now The indicators that deal-driven growth is the right option for your business The lessons Stephen has taken away from his past deals What to know if you plan on taking money from professional investors How Stephen launched his podcast and turned it into a business How to connect with Stephen Woessner: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Podcast: Onward Nation Twitter: @stephenwoessner Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PredictiveROI/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwoessner/

Since the advent of the commercial internet, Stephen Woessner has collected tens of thousands of data points that have given him the ability to identify what he calls the 8 Money Draining Mistakes. These are the things that literally cause a website to leak serious money every day. Stephen teaches companies and organizations how to fix them and how to fix them immediately.Stephen also teaches how to apply what he calls the 8 Money Making Opportunities. These are the things that really matter because they increase financial return on investment in the digital world by 200 to 500 percent or more in 12-months or less. And all of this can be done without needing technical skills.Stephen is the host of the Onward Nation podcast, CEO of Predictive ROI, a digital marketing authority, speaker, educator, and bestselling author of two books, The Small Business Owners Handbook to Search Engine Optimization and Increase Online Sales Through Viral Social Networking.Clients include Cisco, Advisors Excel, Agency Management Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and others. Linda Fassig-Knauer, US Channels, Cisco Systems, said Stephen really engaged the audience at our SMB Advisory Council. His presentation hit the mark.His digital marketing insights have been featured in Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Washington Post.Stephen’s practical and tactical training sessions and keynote presentations teach the valuable principle of predicting and then measuring financial return on investment (ROI) before any action is taken. He has also developed a mathematical, patent-pending process that can be used to predict the increase in online sales a business can achieve based on his methods.What You Will Learn:Stephen’s journey into entrepreneurshipHow Predictive ROI has differentiates itself from other digital marketing agenciesWhy Stephen is considering inorganic growth right nowThe indicators that deal-driven growth is the right option for your businessThe lessons Stephen has taken away from his past dealsWhat to know if you plan on taking money from professional investorsHow Stephen launched his podcast and turned it into a businessHow to connect with Stephen Woessner:Website: www.predictiveroi.comPodcast: Onward NationTwitter: @stephenwoessnerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/PredictiveROI/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwoessner/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cody Foster is one of the Founders of Advisors Excel. In 2004, after leaving a corporate job to partner with David Callanan to be independent financial advisors, they realized the support system for independent advisors was dramatically insufficient. So, in 2005, along with Derek Thompson, they formed Advisors Excel with a goal of building a world class support structure for independent financial advisors across the country. Today they have over 500 employees and are responsible for over $7 Billion in annual sales. Their success in achieving this has led to their story being featured in Success Magazine, Darren Hardy's book “The Entrepreneur Rollercoaster” and Tony Robbins' #1 New York Times bestselling book, “Money, Master the Game.” Cody graduated from Washburn University in 1999 and has made Topeka his home ever since. He is a big believer in the future of the Capital City of Kansas, and has been a lead investor and developer in quality of life initiatives including The Cyrus Hotel, The Pennant, and Iron Rail Brewing. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Greater Topeka Partnership and was one of the five founding investors in Top Tank Topeka, a unique entrepreneur challenge patterned after the successful TV show, Shark Tank. As much as he enjoys business, his real love is family. Cody and his wife Jennifer, a Topeka native and fellow Washburn graduate, have been married for 16 years and have two children, Dylan and Ella. What you'll learn about in this episode: Cody talks about 2019 being his best year professionally and his most challenging year personally, the challenges this presented, and how his team responded How he and his partner intentionally developed their team to be able to carry-on if something were to happen to them Why it is so significant to prioritize our health Why it is important to figure out what is most important to you and then invest the most in it How to be conscious of not taking time for granted 70% of AE's workforce consists of millennials and Cody explains why he embraces this and how they let their people know that they are valued, that the work they do is important and that he and his partner are committed to their long-term growth. How they have grown from just over 47 employees on January 1, 2010 to 651 on January 1, 2020 and why Cody feels like they are now finally ready to realize the massive success they are capable of The rewards of their organization putting in over 7,000 hours of community service in Topeka and the rewards that brings each team member personally and professionally How consistency doesn't mean that their vision doesn't evolve, but that they stay true in the process to the core values and convictions that they built the company around Ways to contact Cody: Website: www.advisorsexcel.com Twitter: @codygfoster

Jim Sheils joins the men of HeRose and talks about why they call him the “Crazy Glue” for entrepreneur families. His popular “Board Meeting” strategy and other simple frameworks are helping thousands of business leaders worldwide reconnect where it counts the most: at home. His Firm, Family Board Meetings, LLC specializes in retreats, workshops and private consulting for entrepreneurs looking to strengthen their family lives while still succeeding in business. Jim’s ability to build immediate trust and create consistent results for his clients (and their children) has given him the opportunity to work with top organizations around the world including EO, YPO, Gathering Of Titans, Mastermind Talks, Harvard University and several top companies including Advisors Excel, Keller Williams and more. Through his work with entrepreneur families over the years, Jim has also become a leader in the movement to improve the education system for our children. (A growing concern in many entrepreneurial circles) Sharing his own family’s journey into alternative education, and the creation of his “Education Matrix”, Jim shows parents how to get involved in their children’s education without feeling overwhelmed and a roadmap to ensure their kids are receiving the most important lessons rarely taught in school. In addition to Family Board Meetings, Jim owns a private real estate investment company that has done over $200 Million in transactions. He is also the author of the #1 Parenting book “The Family Board Meeting”. Jim is an avid surfer and enjoys traveling with family and friends, especially his beautiful wife Jamie and their four children, Alden, Leland, Maggie and Sammy. Jim’s greatest adventure to date: donating a kidney to the greatest guy on the planet, his father.

Brad Johnson is VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel. Advisor Excel employs 530 employees and gathered over $12B of assets last year.   If you enjoyed this episode, please consider to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds and it really makes a difference. Rate, review, and subscribe at HardyHaberland.com/iTunes.

Brad Johnson is VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel. Advisor Excel employs 530 employees and gathered over $12B of assets last year.   Brought to you by Haberland Group (HaberlandGroup.com) and Hardy Haberland's Programs (HardyHaberland.com).   This podcast is brought to you by Haberland Group. Haberland Group is a global provider of marketing solutions. With multidisciplinary teams in major world markets, our holding companies specialize in advertising, branding, communications planning, digital marketing, media, podcasting, public relations, as well as specialty marketing. If you are looking for a world-class partner to work on marketing programs, go to HaberlandGroup.com and contact us.   This podcast is also brought to you by Hardy Haberland's Programs. Hardy provides educational programs for high performers who want world-class achievement, true fulfillment, and lasting transformation in their lives. He also provides consulting for established brands and businesses that have generated a minimum of $3 million in annual sales. If you need a catalyst for transformation and a strategist for success at the highest level, go to HardyHaberland.com and apply.   If you enjoyed this episode, please consider to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds and it really makes a difference. Rate, review, and subscribe at HardyHaberland.com/iTunes.

Welcome to The Elite Advisor Blueprint - The Podcast for World-Class Financial Advisors. I'm Brad Johnson, VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel, and it’s my goal to distill the best ideas and advice from top thought leaders and apply it to the world of independent financial advising. Today, I’m talking with Jason Hewlett. Jason is a leadership expert, author, and hall of fame speaker. He’s delivered over 2,000 presentations for Fortune 500 companies, including American Express, Delta Airlines, and the 2002 Winter Olympics, to name just a few. In his keynote, The Promise: Become a Legendary Leader and Discover Your Signature Moves, Jason uses music, entertainment, and unconventional storytelling to convey actionable insights and proven processes designed to transform leadership skills.  For financial advisors who want to compete in a world full of robo-advisors, AI, and talented people attracting clients all over the globe, Jason’s message is a must-listen. It’ll do more than help you grow your business - it’ll give you the power to live a more joyful life.   SHOW NOTES To get access to today's show notes, including free offer, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit BradleyJohnson.com/69

Choosing the right financial advisor is a big decision; one that can have a major impact on your life. Unfortunately, not all financial advisors are created equal - and if you’re not careful, it could cost you! Today’s guest, Brad Johnson is here to offer a unique perspective. Brad is the VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel (the largest independent insurance brokerage firm in the US) and coach to the biggest and brightest financial advisors in the country. He’s also the host of The Elite Advisor Blueprint® – a podcast for world-class financial advisors, whereby he distills the best advice from top thought leaders and applies it to the world of independent financial advising. During this conversation, Brad pulls back the curtain and guides you through the process of selecting an independent financial advisor who is going to act in your best interests.   Please note: For this special giveaway of Job Optional*, we do not currently offer international shipping. Residents outside of the U.S. may obtain a copy of Job Optional* via eBook format upon request to info@howardbailey.com.   Show Notes: RetireWithPurpose.com/103 Rate & Review the Podcast: RetireWithPurpose.com/review Weekly Retirement Newsletter: RetireWithPurpose.com/weekend-reading

From the football field, to the stage, to becoming a best-selling, author Bo Eason joins us on the Way of Champions Podcast to discuss peaking in youth sports, competing against difficult opponents, and the mentality it takes to be the best in the world.     Highlights from the Podcast: Bo shares a defining moment in his life when he was told he was too small to play football Why most people are lousy at selecting future talent in young athletes Why don’t most high school stars go on to be professionals? What happens when NBA players reach their peak at 15-years-old and why is this happening? How important is it for young athletes to compete against difficult opponents? At what point should an athlete peak? What do you say to a child who’s friends are “playing small” and look at wanting to be a success as being conceited? What did Bo learn the most from being in the NFL? What was it like competing against one of the fastest men in the world? How important is it to be a “5-Star” athlete? What was the most important lesson Bo learned by playing with Jerry Rice? How did Bo end up in acting and getting mentored by Al Pacino? What is the BEST advice Bo wants EVERYONE to know and do?   Bo Eason started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing on with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation.   After his football career ended, he branched out into acting and wrote a one-man play called Runt of the Litter that had an extended off-Broadway and 50- city national run.   Now in his third act, as a speaker and leadership coach, he trains some of the most successful people in the world— athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America.     Resources mentioned: There's No Plan B for Your A-Game: Be the Best in the World at What You Do, by Bo Eason Every Moment Matters, by John O’Sullivan Super Bowl 49: Not one starter was a 5-star recruit out of high school, by Igor Mello The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle Book Extras: https://boeasonbook.com     Connect with Bo Eason Twitter: https://twitter.com/boeason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boeason21 Website: https://boeason.com   Support the Podcast! Become a Podcast Champion! …and get FREE access to ALL of our online courses.   We are now offering you the ability to contribute as a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of the podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A monthly discussion with John, James, Jerry, and other special guests talking about the previous month's episodes and answering some of the FAQs we received that month A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, but yours for free for becoming a patron. Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.   Thank you for all your support these past two years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

In this episode, you will learn: • Jim’s brief bio • What made Jim decide to adopt • Jim talks about a very important event in his life • What Jim’s diet looks like • How Jim stays healthy • Jim’s horizontal income and expenses • What Jim focuses on today • Jim answers a random question from the GoBundance app • Plus, so much more! Jim Sheils is known as the “Crazy Glue” for entrepreneur families. His popular “Board Meeting” strategy and other simple frameworks are helping thousands of business leaders worldwide reconnect where it counts the most: at home. His Firm, Family Board Meetings, LLC specializes in retreats, workshops and private consulting for entrepreneurs looking to strengthen their family lives while still succeeding in business. Jim’s ability to build immediate trust and create consistent results for his clients (and their children) has given him the opportunity to work with top organizations around the world including EO, YPO, Gathering Of Titans, Mastermind Talks, Harvard University and several top companies including Advisors Excel, Keller Williams and more. Through his work with entrepreneur families over the years, Jim has also become a leader in the movement to improve the education system for our children. (A growing concern in many entrepreneurial circles) Sharing his own family’s journey into alternative education, and the creation of his “Education Matrix”, Jim shows parents how to get involved in their children’s education without feeling overwhelmed and a roadmap to ensure their kids are receiving the most important lessons rarely taught in school. In addition to Family Board Meetings, Jim owns a private real estate investment company that has done over $200 Million in transactions. He is also the author of the #1 Parenting book “The Family Board Meeting”. Jim is an avid surfer and enjoys traveling with family and friends, especially his beautiful wife Jamie and their four children, Alden, Leland, Maggie and Sammy. Jim’s greatest adventure to date: donating a kidney to the greatest guy on the planet, his father.

In a Nutshell: The largest financial advisory firms have developed consistent marketing programs that deliver a predictable stream of ideal clients...and there's just a handful of different ways to do it. Guest: Brad Johnson. Brad is the Vice President of Advisor Development for Advisors Excel. He's also the host of a great podcast for financial advisors called The Elite Advisor Blueprint. My Key Takeaway: To get your marketing machine humming: - Understand that marketing is NOT optional. Referral marketing is not enough. Choose from a list of five broad marketing buckets (with an infinite number of tactical ways to execute), and implement aggressively and consistently. - Marketing is math. Don't let your emotions distract you from the key numbers that will determine how and when a particular marketing initiative will pay off.  - Make practicing a practice. Once you identify the most effective marketing strategy for your ideal client pool, practice and pursue mastery of it.  Also Learn: 1. Why strong marketing that keeps your business growing double digits each year is one of the most effective ways of retaining top talent. 2. How one well-produced piece of content (like a book) can be repurposed, sliced and diced, and become an evergreen source of more content (like blog posts, short videos, and social media posts). 3. What sets apart a valuable proprietary process from a generic commodity that prospects can get from any advisor.

Speaker, performer, author Bo Eason started his career in the NFL as a top pick for the Houston Oilers. Continuing on with the San Francisco 49ers, during his 5-year career Bo competed beside and against some of the greatest players of his generation. In 2001, Bo wrote and performed his one-man play, Runt of the Litter, which he performed on Broadway to rave reviews. The New York Times called it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.” Bo toured with the play in over 50 cities. In his quest for excellence on the stage, Bo trained with some of the world's most brilliant performance and movement coaches, Larry Moss and Jean-Louis Rodrigue. Now in his third act, he speaks to and trains some of the most successful people in the world—athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, C-suite execs—on how to communicate for maximum impact and success. He has consulted for clients like Advisors Excel, Morgan Stanley, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Mass Mutual, Guardian, and Merrill Lynch. His training programs on leveraging the power of personal story have transformed the way speakers communicate. Your story is unique from any other. Bo will show you how to leverage your achievements and your failures in a way that captivates and connects you with your audience every time. His book, There's No Plan B for Your A-Game, will be released September 2019 by St. Martin's Press.   What you'll learn from this episode: The importance of the story you tell yourself Taking a reactive approach to circumstances in your life Bo Eason's Winning 4-Step Process Why most things are attainable and we can all have them What it means to make a declaration How to overcome the fear of making yourself vulnerable Bo Eason's approach to preparation and why you should make it more difficult Why you should strive to be the best no matter what the outcome is Why it is so important to draw out and visualize your declaration Additional resources: Website: boeason.com Book: boeasonbook.com

Stephen Woessner and Manuj Aggarwal discuss how to use viral social marketing to launch and grow profitable businesses.What are you waiting for? Tune In Now!In this episode, we will learn about:How to use content marketing to grow your businessHow to launch a podcast and make it a profitable businessExploring business opportunities in the podcast industryHow to recognize opportunities and build consulting services companyHow to build good content for your businessHow to overcome the typical fears as an entrepreneurThe mistakes entrepreneurs makeHow to overcome your challenges and translate them into opportunitiesUsing Search Engine Optimization techniquesNew technologies and business opportunitiesAbout Stephen Woessner:Education: Stephen Woessner holds a bachelor in marketing as well as an MBA from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.Experience: Stephen is the host of the Onward Nation podcast, CEO of Predictive ROI, and a digital marketing authority, speaker, and educator. Clients include Cisco, Advisors Excel, Agency Management Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Linda Fassig-Knauer, and US Channels. His digital marketing insights have been featured in Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Washington Post. Stephen's practical and tactical training sessions and keynote presentations teach the valuable principle of predicting and then measuring the financial return on investment (ROI) before any action is taken. He has also developed a mathematical, patent-pending process that can be used to predict the increase in online sales.Accomplishments: He is the author of bestselling books such as "Increase Online Sales through Viral Social Networking" and "Profitable Podcasting. Grow your business, Expand your Platform, and Build a Nation of True Fans." His Podcast Show is close to reaching the 900 episodes.Links & Mentions From This Episode:Stephen's Website:  https://predictiveroi.com/TetraNoodle consulting services: https://go.tetranoodle.com/boot-podcastTetraNoodle professional training: https://courses.tetranoodle.comThanks for Tuning In! Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section! Enjoyed the episode? Kindly share it with your friends.   Don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates for our "Bootstrapping Your Dreams Show!"

In today’s conversation, I speak with Pat Quinn. Pat is a presentation coach and the head speaking trainer for Advance Your Reach, where he’s coached some of the best speakers in the world, including New York Times bestselling authors, 6 former Olympians, and pastors you see on TV every Sunday. We first connected through Advance Your Reach founder Pete Vargas. Pete invited me to what I would call the American Idol of speaking, where I saw Pat coaching speakers and literally tweaking their presentations on demand. I instantly knew Pat could help many of you advisors out there giving live seminars better connect with your audience, which in turn means more appointments on the calendar. We then invited Pat to our largest event of the year where he preceded to crush at such a level that we decided to make him one of our trainers… so in this conversation you are not only going to get some incredible ideas to grow your business, but also a sneak peak inside one of Advisors Excel’s flagship trainings. Our conversation today gets to the heart of the simple things you can do to make your presentations and speaking events more effective: the importance of storytelling, how to avoid drowning your audience in data, and what you need to do to get audience members excited about working with you before your final pitch. If you’re looking to up your conversions and schedule more appointments, you’re going to want to put this episode on repeat as many of our clients have doubled and even tripled their conversion ratios after a coaching session with Pat.   FREE OFFER Get Pat Quinn’s FREE Report “11 Presentation Requirements for Success” Apply to attend The Catalyst LIVE event (expenses covered for qualified advisors)   SHOW NOTES To get access to today's show notes, including free offer, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit BradleyJohnson.com/57

Cody grew up in a Stockton, a little town  in western Kansas. His graduating class was 27 people. Though his upbringing rural, his grandparents were entrepreneurs. In a one stoplight town, they owned the bowling alley and cafe for the town. His entreprenurial grandparents started him on his path. Today Cody is the Co-Founder of Advisors Excel. In just over 10 years, his company has moved from the kitchen table to a nearly 8 billion dollars firm that employs over 100 people. Mark Pattison talk about how Cody layed his foundation...and what he's built on top of it.

Cody Foster is one of the Founders of Advisors Excel. In 2004, after leaving a corporate job to partner with David Callanan to be independent financial advisors, they realized the support system for independent advisors was dramatically insufficient. So, in 2005, along with Derek Thompson, they formed Advisors Excel with a goal of building a world class support structure for independent financial advisors across the country. Today they have over 500 employees and are responsible for over $7 Billion in annual sales. Their success in achieving this has led to their story being featured in Success Magazine, Darren Hardy's book “The Entrepreneur Rollercoaster” and Tony Robbins' #1 New York Times bestselling book, “Money, Master the Game.” Cody graduated from Washburn University in 1999 and has made Topeka his home ever since. He is a big believer in the future of the Capital City of Kansas, and has been a lead investor and developer in quality of life initiatives including The Cyrus Hotel, The Pennant, and Iron Rail Brewing. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Greater Topeka Partnership and was one of the five founding investors in Top Tank Topeka, a unique entrepreneur challenge patterned after the successful TV show, Shark Tank. As much as he enjoys business, his real love is family. Cody and his wife Jennifer, a Topeka native and fellow Washburn graduate, have been married for 16 years and have two children, Dylan and Ella. What you'll learn about in this episode: The insufficient support for independent advisors Cody Foster and the other founders of Advisors Excel discovered when striking out on their own The growth of Advisors Excel to the point where it now has over 500 employees, who are responsible for over $7,000,000,000 in annual sales Cody's story of growing up in a small town, surrounded by entrepreneurs in his family, who made business seem possible The shift Cody was forced to make from his initial dream of being involved in sports to providing help to his family when his grandmother's business was about to go bankrupt Why Cody and his friend Dave began working as financial advisors and ultimately decided to strike out on their own, but found it challenging due to a lack of support How through identifying the need for more support for independent advisors Cody and Dave were able to create a successful company that grew quickly, encountering few challenges along the way Cody's four principles of success That millennials make up about 70 percent of Cody's workforce and how caring about them personally in addition to caring about their performance has decreased turnover How by building a solid company culture and acquiring employee buy-in, a company can reduce potential challenges How to be a constant learner and continuously adapting to your surroundings Ways to contact Cody: Website: www.advisorsexcel.com Twitter: @codygfoster

As the leader of AE Coach at Advisors Excel - Gina Rainey specializes in “total practice management” where she set out to help advisors bridge the gap between the process-driven brains of their employees and the quick start entrepreneurial mentality many independent advisors operate by. Over the last decade, she's helped offices struggling with high turnover and lack of structure become high-performing organizations, she’s empowered advisors to learn how to better utilize their time and revolutionize their business which has led them to grow like few others in this industry. Gina’s fingerprints are on almost all of Advisors Excel's top performing practices, and there’s a reason for that. Today, she makes a long-overdue appearance on the podcast to talk about how she helps implement organizational change that leads to massive returns. FREE OFFER Get Gina Rainey’s 19 Segment AE Coach Video Series. Visit BradleyJohnson.com/51 Apply to attend our next event (September 16-18) - which focuses on how financial advisors can make the leap from traditional old school marketing, to the digital frontier. And guess what, for qualified candidates, we'll cover your costs to attend, including flight, hotel and entrance to the event. To fill out an application, visit BradleyJohnson.com/thecatalyst SHOW NOTES To get access to today's show notes, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit BradleyJohnson.com/51

I’m thrilled to speak with Hilary Hendershott, founder of Hilary Hendershott Wealth Management. She’s also the host of the Profit Boss Podcast, which has become her primary source for acquiring new clients. In fact, it’s worked so well, that she’s generated over $37M of new assets in the last 10 months! She receives an average of 1 lead via her website per day, and is currently seeing 1 high net-worth lead - which she defines as $500,000 or more of investable assets - come in every 6-7 days, almost all of which reach out to her via her website after listening in to her weekly podcast. So, if you want to know how podcasting can create authority, help develop trust, and connect you with people who would NEVER show up to a seminar - this episode is a must-listen. FREE OFFER Get Hilayr's "Profit Boss Prospect to Client Blueprint - Podcast Edition” flow chart - which is going to show you exactly how to convert podcast listeners into clients. Visit BradleyJohnson.com/50 If you want to find out how Advisors Excel’s #1 office 10X’d growth from $30M to $300M of annual assets gathered in less than 10 years, we’re going to share how. You can hear all about it by visiting BradleyJohnson.com/thecatalyst SHOW NOTES To get access to today's show notes, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit BradleyJohnson.com/50

As the founder of Track That Advisor, Erica has created a business that solves one of the biggest problems I’ve seen financial advisors face over my last 11 years in this business… Here’s how the conversation typically goes: I hop on a coaching call and the first thing the advisor asks is, “How do I get more qualified appointments on my calendar?” My response: “How are your current marketing funnels working? What’s your cost per appointment? What’s your closing ratio per funnel? What’s your ROI per funnel on every dollar spent?” Unfortunately the answer I get 99% of the time: “I have no idea. How would I track something like that?” Enter Erica and Track That Advisor who specializes in just this, helping financial advisors track all the metrics that matter in their business. At this year’s Journey event, which is an event we host twice a year at Advisors Excel where our top offices open up their entire playbook and share all of the marketing, branding, and everything else that’s lead to their success, the theme I heard more than any other was, "Erica Pauly of Track That Advisor changed our business. She's amazing, her team is amazing, and basically our business is in a whole different place thanks to her.” When I heard that from one office generating over $60 million of new assets each year, followed by an identical statement from a second office generating over $100 million annually, I knew I had to get Erica on the show. Today, we discuss how financial advisors at every level can use data to work smarter - not harder. We explore how smaller firms can intelligently scale and make their first hires, as well as how larger firms can track their numbers to make sure each and every advisor on the team is performing at their optimal level. That and so much more!  FREE OFFER To get Erica's FREE whitepaper "The 5 Metrics Financial Advisors Should Actually Be Tracking to Maximize Revenue" visit BradleyJohnson.com/49 Interested in taking the next step with Track That Advisor? You can apply at BradleyJohnson.com/trackthat SHOW NOTES To get access to today's show notes, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit BradleyJohnson.com/49

Brad Johnson grew up in rural Minneapolis, KS (population approx. 2,000) on a farm with his parents and younger brother. Growing up lower, middle class – money wasn’t always easy to come by. However, spending many days of his childhood summers throwing hay bales and fixing barbed wire fence, the value of a hard day’s work has never been lost on him. And those values have obviously paid off! Today, Brad is the VP of Advisors Development at Advisors Excel (largest independent insurance brokerage company in the United States) and mentors a small group of the country’s most elite financial advisors. This group captured close to $1B of new assets last year and relies on Brad and his team to help them maximize their marketing ROI, streamline their client acquisition process, and run their business like a CEO - not a salesperson. He’s also host of The Elite Advisor Blueprint® – a podcast for world-class financial advisors, whereby he distills the best advice from top thought leaders and applies it to the world of independent financial advising. He’s interviewed many thought leaders and industry experts, including Michael Hyatt, Ron Carson, Dan Sullivan, Donald Miller, Joey Coleman, Aaron Klein, John Ruhlin, Cameron Herold, Tucker Max and many more! Join The Brotherhood Join the Front Row Dads private Facebook community so you can ask questions, share ideas, and be part of a supportive group of incredible brothers who help one another navigate the role of marriage and fatherhood. Visit FrontRowDads.com/facebook For more information, visit FrontRowDads.com

In this podcast, we ask Brad Johnson why financial advisors find it so difficult to build referral networks with lawyers. We also discovered some interesting parallels between financial advising firms and small law firms. Brad Johnson is VP of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel and mentors a small group of the country’s most elite financial advisors, teaching them to maximize their marketing ROI, streamline their client acquisition process, and run their business like a CEO not a salesperson.

Click Here to Download Brad's Exclusive Step by Step Process on How to Podcast   In this episode I talk with Pete Matthew, who is a Chartered Financial Planner, a Certified Financial Planner and Managing Director of Jacksons Wealth Management from across the pond in Penzance, UK. Besides his day job, he also happens to host a top 5 business podcast in the UK with just under 1 Million episodes downloaded and has really cracked the code when it comes to podcasting. For those of you who have considered podcasting or are on the radio, you are going to love this conversation!   Here are a just a few highlights: We get into how Pete has transformed his podcast into a marketing funnel that currently drives over 25% of his business and generates 4-5 new prospects a week - make sure you don’t miss the story of Pete’s first podcasting client as it speaks to the power and reach of the medium. Then we dig in on how technology is breaking down the geographical boundaries for marketing and how Pete believes virtual appointments are 95% as effective as face to face. Next we dig into Pete’s 3 step framework for creating engaging content for his show. The great news is that it works just as well on radio. From there we spend some time on the problem with jargon in the financial services industry, the simple framework you can use to overcome it, and why it’s so important for creating a greater connection with your clients and prospects. Finally, don’t miss the secret Pete uses to engage with his audience to generate reviews for his show. It's super easy and powerful! ''As an industry, we make financial planning more complex than it needs to be.'' - Pete Matthew SHOW NOTES: [00:03:10] Discover the power of podcasting and the incredible benefit of being able to connect with influential people from around the world. [00:06:00] Find out how his passion for teaching and lessons from Gary Vaynerchuk's book “Crush It!” led to an inspiring 7 year digital journey that's helping people understand money and succeed financially. [13:23] How has podcasting become Pete's biggest source for client referrals and securing new business? [15:29] The step-by-step framework Pete uses to turn podcast listeners into qualified leads and why his clients love virtual meetings. [17:19] Why you no longer have to chase new business... Learn how “Attraction Marketing” is changing the game. You'll have prospects banging on the virtual doors begging to work with you!   [21:49] How asset managers and advisors can break free from the traditional “this is my territory” mindset and land high-flying clients who love the convenience of a virtual relationship.   [00:28:33] Find out how technology and virtual transactions have changed the internal processes at Pete’s firm. [00:30:09] How financial advisors can transition from traditional radio to the world of podcasting and the critical factors to creating great content that speaks to your audience. [36:38] The 3 simple keys to financial planning and why great financial advisors should never worry about being boxed out by technology. [00:41:03] Why are so few financial advisors joining the podcast movement? Find out why it's never been easier, learn to overcome your fear for compliance, and discover Pete's top tips for podcasting success. [53:33] The importance of eliminating financial jargon and simplifying complex terms for your clients. [59:10] Planning on starting a podcast? Don’t miss Pete’s best practices for generating ratings and reviews and creating social proof with your audience.   [01:05:59] What things does Pete hope are looked at as being absurd 25 years from now. [01:07:19] Find out why Pat Flynn is the first person Pete thinks of when he hears the word successful. [01:08:19] The one book Pete thinks everyone in the financial services industry should read. [01:11:52] A simple, yet effective piece of advice anyone can implement to be successful. ''Care passionately about those who consume your content and you'll be just fine.'' - Pete Matthew SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Pete Matthew Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Meaningful Money Jackson’s Wealth Management NextGen Planners Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk XY Planning Nucleus Platform by Michael Hyatt Known by Mark Schaefer The Support Economy Smart Passive Income The Advisor Century PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Gary Vaynerchuk Adam Carolan Michael Kitces Jeff Rose Michael Hyatt Pat Flynn Mark Schaefer Dan Sullivan   Disclaimer  This program is provided for informational purposes only. Please keep in mind that not all insurance carriers allow "business through the mail" and there may be registration requirements and limitations for virtual investment advisory services. Producers are ultimately responsible for the use or implementation of strategies and concepts discussed and should be aware of the compliance requirements of any broker-dealer or Registered Investment Advisor with which they may be affiliated, the insurance carriers they represent, federal regulations and state insurance and securities regulations. Investment advisors are strongly encouraged to obtain pre-approval from the broker-dealer and/or Registered Investment Advisor with which they may be affiliated prior to implementing this practice. Results from the use of the concepts and strategies shared by Peter Matthew are no guarantee of your future success. The information and opinions contained herein are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Advisors Excel. Alan Moore is not affiliated with or sponsored by Advisors Excel.

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation — I’m Stephen Woessner. Have you ever noticed how most people only pay attention to the final product of a successful business owner? They say things like…“I can never be like them.” or “They got lucky.” What most people don’t see is what the business owner overcame on their path to becoming successful. All of the struggles. All of the daily rejections. The heartaches. The betrayals. The rumors. The criticism. Even the empty bank accounts. And all of those lonely nights while they worked hard to make their vision become a reality. You see, Onward Nation, the only difference between the one who quits, and the one who doesn’t, is that the successful owner showed up every day. The successful owner worked hard every day. They hustled every day. They learned from a proven mentor every day. They worked hard to improve every day. They did all this…even though they felt like quitting…every day. And eventually, they became who they are today…a successful business owner. All of this is a very powerful lesson that I learned from Patrick Bet-David, founder and host of the popular YouTube channel, ValueTainment. Onward Nation, if you haven’t already subscribed to Patrick’s YouTube channel, I highly recommend it. Patrick is exceptional at teaching success principles and lessons you can apply immediately in order to move your business onward to that next level. And during this solocast, we are going to dig deep into one of the fundamental – yet underlying principles that I just shared from Patrick. The principle is fundamental to success — but Onward Nation — it is also easy to miss, overlook, or to take for granted. The principle is that there is no such thing as an overnight success. There isn’t. No matter what industry — no matter what sector — the companies that have achieved sustainable success reached their pinnacle after years and years of perfecting their craft. Successful people think about long-term wins – not short-term wins. It is about the long-haul, it is about endurance, and outlasting the competition not just for today – but for years and years down the road. So I am going to share some examples to illustrate this powerful principle. Why? Because it is critically important to realize that success takes time. Your success requires your full attention. Your success requires failure, it requires making adjustments, repositioning, trying again, failing again, reintroducing products, and maybe even being on the brink of collapse as was the case with Apple, before you finally, truly “make it.” My hope for you is that you will celebrate the challenges and obstacles that are in your way right now. With the right perspective – you will see them as the gift that they are. Each challenge – each obstacle – each setback – is actually making you stronger — if you let them. Each embarrassing failure is forcing you to think differently — they are testing your commitment to your vital priorities, vital function, and your wherewithal. Will you push forward — or will you quit, Onward Nation? My hope is that you will always push forward and never quit. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Instead, it takes persistence and tenacity over the long haul. The path to success often winds and swerves – and then ultimately – you make it – after 15 to 20-years of grinding it out and remaining focused on your vital priorities that you are then seen as an “overnight success.” To that point, I encourage you to go back and re-listen to my interview with Verne Harnish in episode 205 and listen carefully to how Verne introduces himself to you, Onward Nation. Verne says this is his 34th year of doing just one thing — helping companies scale up. His organizations and companies are devoted to this “one thing”…his books are dedicated to this “one thing” and even his family and friends are dedicated to supporting him be successful with this “one thing.” The discussion with Verne is so compelling because he takes some time to dispel the overnight success myth by sharing some interesting data points and stories. One of those data points is that there are over 11,000 new companies launched every hour all over the world today. Just think of that, Onward Nation…11,000 new companies an hour. However, the vast majority of those companies will not be successful — they will lack the fortitude — the staying power to effectively scale their business. For example, Verne went on to share that of the 28 million businesses in the United States, about 24 million of the total are solopreneurs and will never scale up. Why? Most lack the resources — and I don’t mean just financial. Often times, as Verne shared, it is not a question of “how much do I need to scale?” but typically a question of who do I need to be in association with in order to scale up over the long haul. Verne cited Apple and how the company had slowly moved along with their 25-year timeline — nearly collapsed — until Steve Jobs came back. At the time Jobs returned, they had 9,800 employees and were nearly broke. And likely all of us know what happened following the iPod’s release in 2001 — but it didn’t succeed right away…in fact…the iPod floundered a bit for a couple of years. But in 2003, it got some traction and now Apple has scaled to over 110,000 employees during the last 13 years. It would be very easy to forget about those first 25 years of trial, error, struggle, losing millions of dollars, nearly going broke, and then focusing on just one thing and doing it with excellence in the iPod — and then traction takes hold. Success requires a disciplined effort over a long period of time. Some people look at Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of Vaynermedia in New York City, as this guy who came out of nowhere to leap in front of the social media space and is now super popular with a massive following. Couldn’t be further from the truth — and Gary would be the first one to tell you. His story is one of grit, tenacity, outworking the competition, and playing to win for the long term. When Gary launched Wine Library TV — his daily show — for about the first year, his audience was really small…almost discouragingly small…but Gary didn’t quit. Then year two…then year three…then year four…then year five, and then year six. Six years, Onward Nation! Six years of producing a high-quality show of 20 to 30-minutes of engaging video content — every day — that’s what it took for Gary Vee to win. Just think about that for a minute. The magnitude of content he produced. It is really easy to look at Vaynermedia today and become impressed with the success — heck — nearly 900 in NYC and five other locations across the United States — those are significant accomplishments. But to me, and I suppose it is because I’ve had the rare opportunity to be Gary’s guest at Vaynermedia, to go behind the green curtain to interview him and to learn from him, I know that one of the things he is most proud of — and he should be — is all of the hard work, the struggle, the determination to make something out of nothing. Gary truly enjoys the journey to success — and he would be another one to tell you there are no shortcuts to success. And just because someone gets paid over $50,000 to deliver a keynote today — like Gary does — there is precious backstory there and it’s the backstory that is much more interesting. Let’s take a look at the late Peter Drucker, arguably the godfather of modern day management. Verne Harnish shared with me during our interview that of Peter’s 39 groundbreaking books, only 13 of them were written before Peter’s 65th birthday. Peter wrote twice the number of books after he turned 65. What? It takes a long time, Onward Nation, to collect, curate, and share the wisdom that is deep and impactful enough to matter and add value to a lot of people, like Peter did. Or, how about Picasso? Of his top 10 paintings — six of them were painted after he had turned 50. And four of the of 10 paintings were completed when Picasso was 51. Again…it’s the long-term commitment to your vital priorities and vital functions…perfecting your craft with years, and years, and years of disciplined effort. I have mentioned vital priorities and vital functions a couple of times this morning — so if you want a refresher on terminology — just go back and listen to episode 203. I dedicated an entire solocast to the topic of the vitals in your business and the lessons I learned from one of my mentors, Darren Hardy. So let’s move onto another example of long-term success. It would be very easy to look at James Patterson, one of the most successful novelists in history, and think — wow — here’s a guy who has it made. How amazing to be that lucky — to just write all day — what a joy. Again, let’s go behind the green curtain. I had an opportunity to interview the incomparable Linda Kaplan Thaler — oh my word, Onward Nation — Linda is brilliant. She was the creator of the AFLAC duck and so many ad campaigns that I know you will recognize if you go back to listen to our interview. But during our conversation, Linda told me about how she used to work for James Patterson when James was the creative director of the agency where Linda worked. James and Linda worked together for 17-years and became great friends. As Linda shared with me, James did not become a great novelist by accident or luck. Instead, to perfect his craft, James would get up every morning at 4:00 and would write for four hours until 8:00 when he would leave his home for the agency. He would then put in a full day — go home — and be in bed by 8:30 every night. And he rinsed and repeated this process for 21 years, Onward Nation. Staggering. 21 years! Just think about how many times during those 21 years that he would have second guessed himself, called himself bat crazy, how much criticism he received from friends and family encouraging him to just quit and to give up on his dream, and so much more. But he didn’t. He remained committed to his vital priority — and after 21 years — he became the successful James Patterson we know today. Or, how about Henry Ford? He was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company with the help of friends, family, and several investors who collectively helped him raise $28,000 in capital in 1903. And if you look through Mr. Ford’s timeline, you will see trials, tribulations, blood, sweat, tears, heartache, success, followed by disappointment, followed by triumph, followed by obstacles. So, let’s put all of these stories and principles into context by remembering the excellent lesson taught to us by Cody Foster, founder of Advisors Excel, our exceptional guest on Episode 81 of Onward Nation. Cody said to me, “Stephen, don’t compare someone else’s front-of-stage with your back-of-stage.” If you only look at someone’s front-of-stage — what you see in the public eye — you miss all of the struggles, the obstacles, the pain, the suffering, the courage, and their zig-zagged journey to where they are now. For example…we could look at Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, one of Hollywood’s hottest and most in-demand actors today…and it would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that his path to success was different…that it wasn’t full of struggle, grinding it out, working hard to be the best…and most importantly…that it took 20-years for Dwayne to reach the pinnacle of success that he now enjoys. An injury on the football field at the University of Miami that ended any hope of a professional football career that then he directed his attention toward professional wrestling. And then he worked tirelessly to perfect his craft…slowly…training…making mistakes…until he made it to the big show…22,000 people in New York City’s Madison Square Garden…and a pay-per-view television audience for his first big shot at a win back in 1996. And due to all of the excitement…he forgot to direct his attention toward the correct camera…so the huge at-home audience saw a lot of The Rock’s back. Did this send him spinning and worrying about the mistake? No! He got back to work…and ground it out for years until he won his first WWE championship. And then that success led to controversy and tension…which he battled through…and finally some smaller movie roles…then a movie series…then some larger roles…and in November 2016…a starring role in Disney’s Moana as the mythical, Maui, whose bigger than life personality is a perfect fit for The Rock. And if you want to see some awesome behind the scenes video for the recording of Moana – just check this out: But what if The Rock would have quit after football? What if he would have quit in his early WWE career and let the frustration of not getting an early break set him back? What if he approached the smaller movie roles with less than full enthusiasm and instead decided to hold out for the big one? What if, Onward Nation…The Rock had not been willing to invest the 20 years of blood, sweat, and tears to become an overnight success? What if? And what if you don’t? You will be robbing the world of your special gifts and talents. What if Napoleon Hill gave up and quit because he had not become an overnight success? But, most people don’t know the story behind the success of “Think & Grown Rich” — and how the first edition, per se, was a great book but not well-received by the American public. Why? Well, several factors. First, it was published in 1928 — just one year before the Great Depression. The American public was not looking for — or ready for — a success manuscript at that time. And second, the book was huge and it was under a different title. It was the 612-page “Law of Success” — wow. I own the book — it is sitting on my desk right now — and it is amazing. It is essentially a more comprehensive version of “Think & Grow Rich.” Smartly, Napoleon decided to revise and repackage the Laws of Success by trimming it down — making it more concise — and then publishing it as “Think & Grow Rich” in 1937, nearly 10 years later, following the Depression. “Think & Grow Rich” then went on to sell 70 million copies worldwide. Again, no such thing as an overnight success. So don’t give up, Onward Nation! I hope you realize that the struggles you are facing — perhaps the abyss you are staring into right now — is all part of the master plan. You are more talented, more wonderful, more gifted, more incredible than you can possibly imagine. You are a child of the highest God and were blessed with an abundance of talent — so don’t quit — don’t give in — don’t stop. Keeping moving forward — success is there for you — just not overnight. So with that…I want to thank you again for taking the time to be here with me today. It is an honor to have you here — thank you for tuning in — I am delighted you chose this episode to be what you listen to, study, and take with you on your morning run, or maybe Onward Nation has become part of your daily commute, or in some other way has become part of your morning routine. However our daily podcast fits into your daily routine — I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the strategies we learn and share each day from today’s top business owners. And please continue to let me know what you think of Onward Nation…good or bad…I always want your feedback. My direct email address is stephen@onwardnation.com — and yes — that is my actual Inbox. No fancy filters or filing system and I read and reply to every single email. So please let me know how you think we are doing. I look forward to hearing from you. Until then, onward with gusto!

Amy Anderson is an Emmy Award-winning writer, speaker, entrepreneur, former senior editor of SUCCESS magazine and creator of Transformative Writing for Non-Writers. If you’d met her 20 years ago, you’d never believe any of this was possible. Within two more years, she was a daily drug and alcohol user, suffered seizures and hallucinations regularly, and lost nearly all of her relationships. She lived in a place with no running water, phone, or heat. She weighed 78 pounds, rarely bathed, and nearly died multiple times. Then one day, by an act of grace, she got sober. That was 15 years ago. After getting help and staying sober, Amy finished her college degree in English and later did graduate studies in creative writing. She landed a job at the local ABC-TV affiliate and earned two Emmy Award nominations and one win for her work at the station. She started her own freelance writing business in 2005 and for three years worked with clients all over the country and remotely served on the editorial staffs of several magazines. From 2008 to 2012, she served as Managing Editor and then Senior Editor of SUCCESS magazine, where she worked with and interviewed acclaimed experts, celebrities, and leaders, and learned the essentials of success in life and business. Then in 2012, she relaunched her own business, Anderson Content Consulting LLC, and has worked with companies like Advisors Excel, Ryan, Predictive ROI, and Dell, as well as with clients like John Assaraf, Darren Hardy, John Addison, Stacy Tuschl, Shawn Achor, and Todd Duncan. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Amy’s personal story on her path to resilience Why Amy believes there is a genetic component to some behaviors How Amy learned to mask what was happening on the inside with a false exterior How the idea of feeling what someone else was feeling changed Amy’s life How your innate value is no different than the day you were born Why you need to honor your child’s feelings Why you shouldn’t let your choices identify who you are How we form our own belief systems as children Why you should consider praising for the practice of something rather than the result Why children need boundaries & a safe place Why a parent needs to set aside what they get from having a relationship with their child Resources: Support for families of alcoholics - Al-Anon

Click Here to Get Access to Steve Sanduski's "52 Tips to Grow Your Business NOW" This week on Elite Advisor Blueprint, Steve Sanduski shares his journey as an elite financial advising coach and provides deep insight into where the industry is headed! Steve Sanduski has had over 20 years of experience growing companies by multiples, including one whose revenue grew 17-fold during his leadership. Steve helped launch and build a $1.8 billion RIA and was the Managing Partner of Peak Advisor Alliance as it grew from 0 to 1,000 coaching clients. Steve has led countless speaking engagements with top advisors and has spoken to audiences all over the country through keynotes, breakout sessions, and day-long training programs. He’s a New York Times Bestselling author and the co-author of Tested in the Trenches: A 9-Step Plan for Success as a New-Era Advisor and Avalanche: The 9 Principles for uncovering True Wealth. Steve also interview’s top leaders at the intersection of business, investing, and life on his podcast Between Now and Success. His guests include visionary leaders such as Tony Robbins, Ric Edelman, Marty Bicknell, Peter Mallouk, Elliot Weissbluth, Jud Bergman, David Bach, Jon Stein, Steve Lockshin, Carl Richards, Michael Port, Michael Schrage, Aaron Klein, Chip Roame, and Scott Hanson and many more! Here’s a quick overview of what we cover in this conversation: We begin with the story of how Steve and Ron Carson originally connected and then later launched PEAK Advisor Alliance from a conversation that began in Ron’s basement From there, we get into what creates an imaginary “glass ceiling” for financial advisors that holds them back from the growth they want to achieve and the secret to building a high performing team Later on, we dig deep on the massive changes in fintech and how Steve sees our industry evolving away from “return of investment” and more to “return on” an idea that is much more impactful to your clients Then we get into the most powerful lessons and takeaways from some of Steve’s former podcast guests like Tony Robbins and Hightower Investment’s Elliot Weissbluth, you won’t want to miss these! We wrap with one of my favorite parts of the conversation... Steve and I discussing the power of “random acts of kindness” and the power they have to change not only your own perspective, but those around you as well SHOW NOTES: [03:50] Steve shares his early days in the financial advising game and how a partnership with Ron Carson led to the launch of Peak Advisor Alliance - An Elite Financial Advisor Coaching business that’s been around since the 90’s. [12:05] Find out how Ron Carson discovered the habits of top achievers, connected with the most successful people in the world, and landed his first billionaire client. [15:15] Why differentiating yourself and clearly defining your target audience is critical if you want to succeed as a financial advisor. [22:40] How to avoid losing business to robo advisors while creating the best possible life for your clients. [00:27:35] Why using technology to increase efficiency should never come at the expense of your clients experience.   [30:34] The unique human attributes that technology can’t compete with and how you can use these to create a sustainable advantage. [34:42] The pros and cons to working with clients remotely. [39:12] Find out why Steve started his podcast Between Now and Success. [44:04] The most memorable moments from Steve’s podcast guests, such as Tony Robbins and Elliot Weissbluth. [53:50] Why the more valuable you are to the business, the less valuable the business is. [54:16] Why the growth of your business relies on your ability to surround yourself with incredible people. [56:02 Steve’s advice on hiring new talent and knowing when to let people go. [01:02:12] Why Steve’s Dad is the first person he thinks of when he hears the word “successful”. [01:05:05] The book that Steve believes all financial advisors should read. [1:06:41] How small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world. [01:11:28] The one piece of advice Steve would give to any financial advisor that wants to succeed. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Steve Sanduski Website | Twitter | LinkedIn BelayAdvisor.com Peak Advisor Alliance Coaching Program Securities America Hewlett-Packard Tested in the Trenches by Ron Carson and Steve Sanduski Avalanche by Ron Carson and Steve Sanduski LPL Financial Peak Advisor Alliance Why Should I Choose You?  by Ian Chamandy and Ken Aber The 100-Year Life Union Pacific Western Electric The Quiet Company The Behavior Gap by Carl Richards Orion Advisor Services Mariner Wealth Advisors FiComm Partners High Tower Advisors Only The Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove Amazon Kodak Netflix CNBC The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist The Madonna School PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Ron Carson - Founder and CEO of Carson Group Holdings Dan Sullivan - Founder and President of The Strategic Coach Inc. Warren Buffett - Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Wayne Gretzky - Legendary Hockey Player Tony Robbins - Author of Unshakeable Cole Richards - Author of The Behavior Gap Eric Clark - CEO at Orion Advisor Services Marty Bicknell - CEO at Mariner Holdings Joe Duran - CEO at United Capital Jason Lahita - President and Co-founder of FiComm Partners Elliot Weissbluth - CEO and Founder at High Tower Advisors Gordon Moore - Co-founder of Intel Mark Moses - co-founder at CEO Coaching International Darren Hardy - Success Coach Stu McLaren - Co-founder of Wishlist Member Michael Hyatt -  Author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World     The information and opinions contained herein are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Advisors Excel. The guest speaker is not affiliated with or sponsored by Advisors Excel. Results from the use of these concepts are no guarantee of your future success. While client appreciation events may be permitted, such event should be reasonable and customary. All producers and investment advisors should be aware of any gifting limitations imposed by federal regulation, state regulation, insurance carriers, broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisors, as applicable. Investment advisors are strongly encouraged to obtain pre-approval from the broker-dealer and/or Registered Investment Advisor with which they may be affiliated prior to implementing the concepts or strategies discussed in this interview.  Positioning yourself as a celebrity is not a substitute for professional credibility, nor should it be viewed as a shortcut for obtaining new clients. Rather, it is a system of branding and marketing designed to help reinforce your credibility and value proposition. Credibility is founded in knowledge and experience.

Click Here for Ian's Free Enneagram Cheat Sheet & Assessment! This week on Elite Advisor Blueprint, Ian Cron is here to talk about the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. Ian is a bestselling author, Enneagram teacher, nationally recognized speaker, psychotherapist, and Episcopal priest. His books include Chasing Francis, Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me and most recently,  The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery.   Ian draws on an array of disciplines—from psychology to the arts, Christian spirituality to theology—to help people enter more deeply into conversation with God and the mystery of their own lives. He and his wife, Anne, live in Nashville, Tennessee. In today’s conversation, Ian wastes no time getting to the heart of  the content and shares each of the 9 Enneagram personality types, exploring why people think, feel and act the way they do and how we can apply this information to the world of financial advising. Here are a few highlights of what we covered: Ian shares a conversation he had with a friend who happens to run a hedge fund and how knowing a difficult clients Enneagram number, helped him better know how to communicate in their meetings. This eventually led to this client moving more of their assets to him. We cover the 9 Enneagram personality types and how they can help us recognize patterns of behavior in our prospects, clients, teams, spouses, or anyone else we may encounter. We get to why self-awareness may be the single most important factor to your success. How financial advisors can use the Enneagram to better interact face-to-face with clients. How to avoid the workaholic trap as a high achieving financial advisor. Ian’s deep understanding for how to further discover yourself and connect with people is undeniable and invaluable. I can’t wait for you to check out this interview and apply the insights that he shares to your own journey as a financial advisor! SHOW NOTES: [04:30] Find out what the Enneagram is and how it can help you better understand the differing personalities of people. [07:49] Ian shares a story of how the enneagram helped a highly experienced hedge fund manager (who oversaw 25 billion in assets) win the respect of one of his most confrontational clients, resulting in even more business! [12:30] Discover the 9 interconnected personality types, what they mean and how you can use them to your advantage to build a better team. [26:50] Find out how Bill Clinton leveraged the power of being a 9 personality type (Peacemaker), to display empathy, reconcile relationships and forge some of the most difficult deals in the world. [29:00] How financial advisors can apply the Enneagram methodology to create better face-to-face interactions with their clients. [31:31] The three fundamental emotions that everyone tries to manage. [32:39] Why we’re all looking at the same screen, but watching a different movie. [35:00] Discover the space between stimulus and response and how it can affect your growth and freedom. [38:15] Find out why self-awareness is absolutely critical in the world of business. [38:54] How independent financial advisors (3’s, 7’s & 8’s) can overcome workaholic tendencies. [46:39] The first person Ian thinks of when he hears the word “successful” - HINT: I was surprised by his response! [47:46] Ian shares some of his favorite books. [49:28] Why every young man or woman needs to find a mentor. [50:55] Why being an 8 personality type as a woman in business can be extremely difficult. [52:43] The one piece of advice that has led to Ian’s success. ''Learn Widely, read a lot, and then read more." - Ian Cron SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Ian Cron Website | Twitter | Facebook The Road Back To You by Ian Cron [BOOK] IanCron.com Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman [BOOK] Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry [BOOK] Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel [BOOK] Mr. Ives’ Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos [BOOK] Churchill: A Biography [BOOK] PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Michael Hyatt - former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers Jack Welch - Executive Chairman of The Jack Welch Institute Viktor Frankl - Neurologist and Psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor Yo-Yo Ma - Cellist   The information and opinions contained herein are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Advisors Excel. The guest speaker is not affiliated with or sponsored by Advisors Excel. Results from the use of these concepts are no guarantee of your future success. While client appreciation events may be permitted, such event should be reasonable and customary. All producers and investment advisors should be aware of any gifting limitations imposed by federal regulation, state regulation, insurance carriers, broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisors, as applicable. Investment advisors are strongly encouraged to obtain pre-approval from the broker-dealer and/or Registered Investment Advisor with which they may be affiliated prior to implementing the concepts or strategies discussed in this interview. 

Amy Anderson is the creator of Transformative Writing for Non-Writers, founder of Anderson Content Consulting LLC, and former senior editor of SUCCESS magazine. She’s an Emmy Award-winning writer, writing coach, and speaker who has worked with clients like John Addison, Todd Duncan, John Assaraf, and Darren Hardy, as well as companies like Advisors Excel, Ryan, and Dell. Today, Amy has turned her years of experience toward helping experts, coaches, and consultants discover their authentic voice and write with confidence so they can build connection, inspire action, and change lives. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Amy’s journey Why you should sit down with an experienced entrepreneur if you’re fearing going out alone Why you need to be willing to sacrifice more for your business than you’re asking anyone else to sacrifice Why a virtual business is the way to go Why “A Players” have to be good people Why your team needs to feel like they’re all in it for a cause Amy’s challenge learning to slow down and do things like small talk Why Amy believes being spiritual helps her be a better leader Amy’s strategy for staying focused by writing out her intentions What Amy learned working one-on-one with Darren Hardy How to receive mentorship (and why you must invest in mentorship) Amy’s Transformative Writing for Non-Writers course Ways to contact Amy: Website: www.amykanderson.com Email: amy@amykanderson.com

Amy Anderson is the creator of Transformative Writing for Non-Writers, founder of Anderson Content Consulting LLC, and former senior editor of SUCCESS magazine. She's an Emmy Award-winning writer, writing coach, and speaker who has worked with clients like John Addison, Todd Duncan, John Assaraf, and Darren Hardy, as well as companies like Advisors Excel and Dell. Today, Amy has turned her years of experience toward helping experts, coaches, and consultants discover their authentic voice and write with confidence so they can build connection, inspire action, and change lives. What you'll learn about in this episode Amy’s personal story Why you need to deal with your deeper wounds Why freedom is the definition of success for Amy Why you need to look at suffering as something you can build upon The importance of freeing yourself from toxic relationships Why, when you have that moment of clarity, you need to do something right away Why you need to figure out what you are so afraid of Why you need to be authentic & not run from who you really are   How best to connect with Amy: Website: www.amykanderson.com Email: amy@amykanderson.com

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation…I’m Stephen Woessner. And I am really really excited for today’s solocast because — it is going to be rock solid awesome! One of the reasons that I am so excited is because I am returning to full teaching mode this morning with a powerful lesson about building your platform — more importantly — some practical and tactical steps about building a nation of what Kevin Kelly describes as “True Fans” who will help you mobilize and move your business onward to that next level. True fans of you — true fans of your message — true fans of your business. Fans who will support you — because — of the sacred bond you have built with them. A bond that was built upon — and continues to be built upon — the foundation of the value you created, you delivered, and the value you shared with them on a consistent basis. Whether you do that every day — every week — no matter what the schedule — no matter what the rhythm — the fact that you are consistent is what is important. This is going to be such an awesome solocast — and I am delighted you are here with me — your time and attention mean so very much to me. But before we dive deep into today’s lesson…I have a very important favor to ask. In fact, this is the first time I have ever asked this favor within one of my solocasts. So, if you could do this — please know — it would mean a lot to me. I’d be grateful — and would really appreciate it — if you would go to iTunes and give Onward Nation a rating and then write a review for our podcast. I respect your time so I wanted to make this as efficient as possible to find us in iTunes…so my team created a special link to save you time. So if you go to www.onwardnation.com/itc you will go directly to our channel within iTunes. Okay, why am I asking for this favor? Last week, I was excited to share with you how Onward Nation is now listened to in 102 countries — and — that we had surpassed the milestone of 50,000 downloads. WOW — still a bit unbelievable — not going to lie — need to pinch myself to realize that yes, this is indeed our reality. And I credited our growth to our incredible guests and all of the wonderful feedback we have received from you, Onward Nation — all of your comments on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, — and — all of your emails. Thank you! But in celebrating these amazing milestones — I made a mistake! I forgot to mention a critical type of feedback that helps us reach more and more people with each one we receive…and that’s…all of the ratings and reviews we receive inside iTunes. With each rating and review we receive, Onward Nation…you help us increase our rankings within iTunes — and — higher rankings means more people will see us in their search results — and potentially they will be seeing us for the very first time. Each and every review helps more and more people in more countries to hear the wisdom and expertise shared by our guests each day. So, if you haven’t already given us a star rating and written a review — it would really mean a lot to me if you did. It’s simple to do. It doesn’t take much time. Again, just go to www.onwardnation.com/itc — or — if you are listening on your phone — you can give us a rating and write a review from within your podcast app on your phone. We’ve occasionally received feedback that leaving ratings can be a confusing process, so here are the steps in detail: First, after going to the www.onwardnation.com/itc link, please click the blue button that “View in iTunes.” Next, click on the link titled “Ratings and Reviews.” Next, click on “Write a Review.” If you are not signed into iTunes, you will be asked to sign in. If you are already signed into iTunes, it is likely that you will skip this step. Finally, you will be able to leave a review. Don’t forget the star rating! So thank you, Onward Nation — and please know — I greatly appreciate all of your help, support, encouragement, and feedback — you make me and my team better every day — and — it is an honor to be here with you again this morning. With that said…let’s get dialed in and ready for this week’s lesson. You ready? Because I’m so totally ready — I’m going to bring the thunder this morning, Onward Nation…YES! I spent quite a bit of time working through and preparing what I wanted to share with you today. Such an important lesson. How one of the vital priorities in your business should be to build a nation of true fans — to develop a sense of community, collaboration, and profitability around the purpose of your business. Let’s begin by breaking the phrase “Build a nation of true fans” into its three core components. First — let’s tackle the word, “Build.” How would you “build” a nation of true fans. Whether that’s a… Podcast Blog YouTube channel Instagram stories The platform from a tech perspective is irrelevant — any or all of the above — will serve your purpose of “building” a nation of true fans. The tech behind it all is relatively easy. Is there a learning curve? Sure. Will you feel at times like you are trying to fly the space shuttle with so many knobs and buttons to push? Sure. How does Facebook Live work? What time of day should I create a story on Instagram? What kind of camera and mic are best if I want to be a serious YouTuber? All of these are tech questions — and within an afternoon with your best friend Google — you can solve those problems and find the answers as long as you don’t let the fear of the unknown become paralyzing to you. So let’s shift our focus away from the tech — and instead — focus on the value you will be providing through those channels. What’s your story — how will you serve your audience — how will you make what you are doing so valuable to their business or life, that they actually consider you to be indispensable. That you become so consistent in the help, advice, recommendations, and over value that you are providing on a consistent basis — that you BUILD deposits in their emotional bank account. They begin to trust you — they begin to like you — and then because of them liking you and trusting you…they move even closer to you by truly KNOWING you. So, your first step in building your nation of true fans has nothing to do with the actual content delivery platform and has everything to do with the value of what you will be delivering — because your nation of true fans is built on VALUE. And if you get that right — the actual platform — or your conduit through which you share your value — will fall into place — and it will feel less stressful because the value you were called — put on this Earth to deliver — will then be in the driver’s seat. You, Onward Nation — will become unstoppable. Now let’s shift our attention toward the word “Nation” and break that down. And I want to address to make sure we address this because we live in a world where bigger lists, bigger subscribers, massive downloads, huge customer lists, etc. etc. etc. is what attracts headlines and massive attention. I’m here to share with you the reality…you don’t need an email list of 100,000 people…you don’t need to have a podcast that gets a million downloads a month…you don’t need to have a customer list with 20,000 prospects on it. Nope. You don’t. That’s not your Nation. What you need — realistically — depending on the size of your business is somewhere between 100 to 1,000 high-qualified prospects. That’s it…100 to 1,000 of the very best prospects who precisely match your client avatar — in fact — your knowledge with some of these people is so deep that you can boldly claim them as your Dream 50 prospects. If you need a refresher on why your Dream 50 matters — please go back to Episode 308 of Onward Nation — and I map it all out — how to figure out who your Dream 50 is — and — how to romance your Dream 50 so they understand how important they are to you. Again, that was in Episode 308. To take this point deeper — I want to share a very tangible example of a company that grew from zero to become a multi-billion a year company — yes — billion — with a capital B. My mentor, Darren Hardy, former publisher of SUCCESS Magazine…decided to interview my friend Cody Foster, co-founder of Advisors Excel and to share the interview on the March 2014 edition of the SUCCESS CD that rides along with the magazine. You may remember Cody Foster, and the wisdom he shared, as my guest on Episode 81 of Onward Nation. During the interview with Darren, Cody shared several personal stories of very humble beginnings — and how those stories — helped shaped the kind of company Advisors Excel has become. A company packed full — wall to wall — of incredible people — a team whose sole focus is to deliver more and more value every day to the financial advisors around the country they are there to serve. And Advisors Excel team does it masterfully well. They have BUILT their platform — a platform that is indeed built on a solid foundation of value. But…did they build this platform by trying to serve the 60,000 financial advisors located in the state of Florida alone? No. How about all of the financial advisors up and down the west coast? Nope. Did they focus on spending large amounts of advertising dollars trying to reach everyone they could with their message of value, value, value? Nope. Strike three. Instead…what they did focus on was carefully, meticulously selecting, 1,000 of the very best financial advisors who they wanted to earn the opportunity to serve. Yes, Onward Nation, Cody shared with Darren that they built a list of 1,000 financial advisors — just 1,000 — and then they went to work to deliver more value than another other insurance marketing organization in the industry to the 1,000 advisors they wanted to work with. The 1,000 advisors became their Nation…and advisors outside of the Nation didn’t exist. Advisors Excel was solely focused on being the best they could be for this small group of prospects. The result outcome? Well, in year six of the business…they reached over $4 billion in revenue. $4 billion, Onward Nation. When they are the right prospects — you don’t need 10,000…you actually only need a small number to make your business amazingly successful and profitable. 1,000 people — who you can love on — who you can support — who you can add value to — who then in turn are excited to do for you some of what you already shared with them. So now, let’s take this number — 1,000 — deeper — because it is a magical number that we all ought to really focus on in our businesses. Kevin Kelly was the first person — at least I think he was the first person — who popularized the theory — the notion — the strategy that if a business created a base of customers who were more like fans — 1,000 True Fans in fact — then that business could become sustainable and profitable by simply focusing on the needs of its true fans. And here is a link to Kevin Kelly’s blog post as well as the long tail curve he created to illustrate the 1,000 true fans strategy. Kelly describes — or defines — “True Fans” as customers who will help you mobilize and move your business onward to that next level. They are true fans of you — true fans of your message — true fans of your business. Fans who will support you — because — of the sacred bond you have built with them. A bond that was built upon — and continues to be built upon — the foundation of the value you create, you deliver, and the value you share with them on a consistent basis. As I mentioned at the onset of this solocast. Whether you do that every day — every week — no matter what the schedule — no matter what the rhythm — the fact that you are consistent is what is important. According to Kevin, “A True Fan” is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to visit your location. They will buy the super deluxe version of your product even though they already own the standard version, too. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They have bookmarked your website. They come to your product announcements — or — ribbon cutting ceremonies for a new office location. They come to your book signings and ask for you to sign their copy. They cannot wait for your next webinar — your next podcast episode — your next event — your next release of whatever. And the best way to increase sales for your company is to connect with your True Fans directly…so you need to have a platform built on value…see? We keep coming back to that foundational truth. Onward Nation, 1,000 true fans is a very reasonable number. As Kevin explains in his brilliant blog post… “if you added one fan a day, it would take only three years. True Fanship is doable. Pleasing a True Fan is pleasurable, and invigorating.” The key challenge is that you have to maintain direct contact with your 1,000 True Fans. And you do that through building your platform — delivering value — and making sure you are using the right conduit so it reaches your 1,000 true fans on a consistent basis. Again…it doesn’t matter if you use a podcast, blog, robust LNKD profile and LNKD publishing, long form posts on Medium, Instagram stories, Facebook Live, and the list goes on. What’s important to identify is not the platform you are most comfortable — but — the platform your fans use the most — what is the best conduit to them? For me — it’s this podcast, my LinkedIn account, email campaigns, and webinars. But there is also another piece to True Fans…and that are the concentric circles of “Lesser Fans.” These folks will not purchase everything you produce, and may not seek out direct contact, but they will buy much of what you produce. The processes you develop to feed your True Fans will also nurture Lesser Fans. As you build your nation of True Fans, you will also add many more Lesser Fans. And as you are building…don’t avoid…don’t miss the opportunity to go deep…to develop intimacy with your audience…with your true fans. Onward Nation…that is one of the reasons I ask for feedback in every solocast. My team and I legitimately want to get better — but — I also want to hear from you — to get to know you — to learn from you — and to deliver even more value so Onward Nation becomes — and hopefully remains — your most favorite podcast. Okay…with that said…and before we go…I want to make one final connection between today’s lesson and the favor that I asked you to do for me at the onset of our discussion today. I know that I have absolutely no permission to make an ask of your time — unless — I have consistently delivered value. And — even if I have consistently delivered value — I must be considerate in the favors I ask for — no one wants to spend time with the takers — the people who just ask, ask, ask, and never ever give. So, Onward Nation — I am using today’s solocast as a way to ask for a legitimate favor — and — to give you a recipe for how you can do the same to build you own nation of true fans — and when you do — your nation — just like Onward Nation has become this amazing, awesome, wonderful, beautiful incredible platform of people who are so generous with your feedback and help guide your business in the exact direction it needs to go in order to deliver even more value to what it is they need. So build your own platform for your business — or if you already have one — think about Kevin Kelly’s lesson — and ask yourself how you can add even more and more value to your the people already in your community — and build your nation of true fans. Because when you do — your business, your team, your life will move onward to a completely new level. So with that…I want to say thank you again for taking the time to be here with me today. It is an honor to have you here — thank you for tuning in — I am delighted you chose this episode to be what you listen to, study, and take with you on your morning run, or maybe Onward Nation has become part of your daily commute, or in some other way has become part of your morning routine. I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the strategies we learn and share each day from today’s top business owners. And please continue to let me know what you think of Onward Nation…good or bad…I always want your feedback. We will be back tomorrow with an incredible encore interview with Paul Maskill — you will not want to miss Paul’s philosophy when he encourages you to, “Go ahead — make mistakes on purpose,” Onward Nation. The conversation with Paul is packed full of discussions regarding systems — and more specifically — how he used systems to sell his company for 6 times what he bought it for and 4 times the profit. This systems discussion will help you create financial leverage within your business. Until then, onward with gusto!

Check out the show notes at http://bradleyjohnson.com/john John Ruhlin (@ruhlin), founder of The Ruhlin Group, a professional gift giving service that’s worked with the likes of: Financial Institutions: Morgan Stanley & Wells Fargo Professional Sports Franchises: San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bears, & Miami Dolphins Casinos & Resorts: Caesars Palace, Atlantis, & MGM Thought leaders: Darren Hardy, John Maxwell, & Jeffrey Gitomer When organizations like these need to WOW their clients or prospects with an incredible gift or experience, they turn to John and his company. In fact the gift giving methodology that John drops during this interview is so ground breaking, his recently released book Giftology skyrocketed to #1 on Amazon in the customer service category. After relistening to the audio to grab some highlights for you guys, I’m convinced this show may make the biggest impact on your business to date of any we’ve ever done. I know that’s a bold statement, but here are just a few of the highlights from John and I’s conversation: We begin with John’s journey and how it started with some incredible advice from a mentor that led him to become CutCo Knives #1 selling distributor EVER… and oh yeah, this was by the time he was a senior in college John reveals how 99% of all financial advisor gifts break the #1 most important rule of gift giving… and how to fix it! A few of the other concepts John covers to become a black belt in gift giving include… One thing that every great gift should include Best and worst times of year to give gifts Most forgotten person when gifting happens in business Biggest gift giving mistake people make when thanking others for a referral Secret spot in the home to an incredibly meaningful gift (the secret to referrals!) Word John uses to replace “gift” that will change the way you choose your gifts and how you give them One last thing... John made an incredibly generous offer to share a free tool from his new book Giftology, “10 Gifts to Avoid Giving Key Clients”. Also an added bonus, because gifting can get especially tricky with gift limitations in the financial services space, our team over at Advisors Excel put in some extra work and created our “Guide to Gifting”. Both of these tools are available to download HERE. Thanks for listening, you're going to love the conversation with John! Check out the show notes at http://bradleyjohnson.com/john 

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation — I’m Stephen Woessner. Have you ever noticed how most people only pay attention to the final product of a successful business owner. They say things like…“I can never be like them.” or “They got lucky.” What most people don’t see is what the business owner overcame on their path to becoming successful. All of the struggles. All of the daily rejections. The heartaches. The betrayals. The rumors. The criticism. Even the empty bank accounts. And all of those lonely nights while they worked hard to make their vision become a reality. You see, Onward Nation, the only difference between the one who quits, and the one who doesn’t, is that the successful owner showed up every day. The successful owner worked hard every day. They hustled every day. They learned from a proven mentor every day. They worked hard to improve every day. They did all this even though they felt like quitting every day. And eventually, they became who they are today…a successful business owner, Onward Nation. All of this is a very powerful lesson that I learned from Patrick Bet-David, founder of PHP Agency, an insurance marketing organization, and is the host of the popular YouTube channel,ValueTainment. Onward Nation, if you haven’t already subscribed to Patrick’s YouTube channel, I highly recommend it. Patrick is exceptional at delivering impactful education, success principles, and business lessons any business owner can apply immediately in order to move onward to that next level. And during this solocast, we are going to dig deep into one of the fundamental – yet underlying principles that I just shared from Patrick. The principle is fundamental to success — but Onward Nation — it is also easy to miss, overlook, or to take for granted. The principle is that there is no such thing as an overnight success. There isn’t. No matter what industry — no matter what sector — the companies that have achieved sustainable success reached their pinnacle after years and years of perfecting their craft. So I am going to share some examples with you over the next several minutes to illustrate this powerful principle. Why? Because I think it is important to realize that success takes time. That success requires your full attention. That success requires failure, making adjustments, repositioning, trying again, failing again, reintroducing products, and maybe even being on the brink of collapse as was the case with Apple, before you finally “make it”. I want you to rest easy today — and to celebrate the challenges and obstacles that are in your way right now. They are a gift — they are making you stronger — if you let them — they are forcing you to think differently — they are testing your commitment to your vital priorities, vital function, and your wherewithal. Will you push forward — or will you quit, Onward Nation? My hope is that you will always push forward and never quit. Back when I was a sophomore in high school, I decided that I wanted to play football. Now, truth be told, I didn’t know the first thing about football…literally…I didn’t even know the positions on the field. I knew zero plays…nothing. And to make matters worse, I was 6 feet tall and about 150 pounds, slow, lanky, without any skill at all. In fact, I was so bad — and I am honestly not exaggerating at all — I was so bad, Onward Nation, that I actually sat on the bench during practice. As a young kid in high school, I thought my coaches were disrespecting me by not letting me practice. Now that I am older — I can only imagine the coaches meetings — they probably went something like this. “Ahem, okay gentlemen, we need to make some adjustments here in practice…has anyone seen that Woessner kid, yeah, he’s really bad. He has no talent on the field. Let’s let him stay on the team but we need to keep him busy on the sidelines because he is so bad that he will get destroyed even in practice.” Which was likely followed by lots of agreement and laughing. I distinctly remember talking with my dad one night when I felt like quitting because I was frustrating with my lack of opportunity — again — I didn’t realize the coaches were helping me, they weren’t trying to hold me back — they were actually ensuring I could move up just not in football — and my dad told me it would be okay if I quit. And that took me back a little bit. Quit? After the call, I thought long and hard about what he said — and I later decided that it was not okay if I quit. Quitting was not okay — and even if I never played another down on the team — I would not quit. I would attend every practice — every game — and root on the guys who were much better than me. But I would never quit. I wasn’t going to be successful in football but quitting to me felt like I would be given up on a lot more than just 10th grade football. So I finished the season no matter how embarrassed I was to be riding the pine bench. I think about those lessons often because they still fuel me today, Onward Nation, and my hope is that the lessons fuel you, too. Don’t ever give up. Remain committed to your vital priorities — and eventually — you will succeed. There is no overnight success — it takes persistence and tenacity over the long haul. To that point, I encourage you to go back and relisten to my interview with Verne Harnish in episode 205 and listen carefully to how Verne introduces himself to you, Onward Nation. Verne says this is his 34th year of doing just one thing — helpful companies scale up. His organizations and companies are devoted to this “one thing”…his books are dedicated to this “one thing” and even his family and friends are dedicated to supporting him be successful with this “one thing.” The discussion with Verne is so compelling because he takes some time to dispel the overnight success myth by sharing some interesting data points and stories. One of those data points is that there are over 11,000 new companies launched every hour all over the world today. Just think of that, Onward Nation…11,000 new companies an hour. However, the vast majority of those companies will not be successful — they will lack the fortitude — the staying power to effectively scale their business. For example, Verne went on to share that of the 28 million businesses in the United States, about 24 million of the total are solopreneurs and will never scale up. Why? Most lack the resources — and I don’t mean just financial. Often times, as Verne shared, it is not a question of “how much do I need to scale?” but typically a question of who do I need to be in association with in order to scale up over the long haul. Verne cited Apple and how the company had slowly moved along with their 25 year timeline — nearly collapsed — until Steve Jobs came back. At the time Jobs returned, they had 9,800 employees and were nearly broke. And likely all of us know what happened following the iPod’s release in 2001 — but it didn’t succeed right away…in fact…the iPod floundered a bit for a couple of years. But in 2003, it got some traction and now Apple has scaled to over 110,000 employees during the last 13 years. It would be very easy to forget about those first 25 years of trial, error, struggle, losing millions of dollars, nearly going broke, and then focusing on just one thing and doing it with excellence in the iPod — and then traction takes hold. Success requires a disciplined effort over a long period of time. Some people look at Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of Vaynermedia in New York City, as this guy who came out of nowhere to leap in front of the social media space and is now super popular with a massive following. Couldn’t be further from the truth — and Gary would be the first one to tell you. His story is one of grit, tenacity, outworking the competition, and playing to win for the long term. When Gary launched Wine Library TV — his daily show — for about the first year, his audience was really small…almost discouragingly small…but Gary didn’t quit. Then year two…then year three…then year four…then year five, and then year six. Six years, Onward Nation! Six years of producing a high-quality show of 20 to 30-minutes of engaging video content — every day — that’s what it took for Gary Vee to win. Just think about that for a minute. The magnitude of content he produced. It is really easy to look at Vaynermedia and get impressed with the success — heck — 500 employees on Park Avenue in NYC — and that is darn impressive. But, to me, because I have had an opportunity to be Gary’s guest at Vaynermedia, to go behind the green curtain to interview him, and to learn from him, I know that one of the things he is most proud of — and he should be — is all of the hard work, the struggle, the determination to make something out of nothing — he truly enjoys the journey to success — and he would be another one to tell you there are no shortcuts to success. And just because someone gets paid $50,000 to deliver a speech today — like Gary does — there is all kinds of back story there — and it’s the back story that is so interesting. Let’s take a look at the late Peter Drucker, arguably the godfather of modern day management…Verne Harnish shared with me during our interview that of Peter’s 39 groundbreaking books, only 13 of them were written before Peter’s 65th birthday. Peter wrote twice the number of books after he turned 65. What? It takes a long time, Onward Nation, to collect, curate, and share the wisdom that is deep and impactful enough to matter and add value to a lot of people, like Peter did. Or, how about Picasso? Of his top 10 paintings — six of them were painted after he had turned 50. And four of the of 10 paintings were completed when Picasso was 51. Again…it’s the long term commitment to your vital priorities and vital functions…perfecting your craft with years, and years, and years of disciplined effort. I have mentioned vital priorities and vital functions a couple of times this morning — so if you want a refresher on terminology — just go back and listen to episode 203. I dedicated an entire solocast to the topic of the vitals in your business and the lessons I learned from one of my mentors, Darren Hardy. So let’s move onto another example of long term success. It would be very easy to look at James Patterson, one of the most successful novelists in history, and think — wow — here’s a guy who has it made. How amazing to be that lucky — to just write all day — what a joy. Again, let’s go behind the green curtain. Last week, I had an opportunity to interview the incomparable Linda Kaplan Thaler — oh my word, Onward Nation — Linda is brilliant. She was the creator of the AFLAC duck and so many ad campaigns that I know you will recognize when you hear our interview. Cannot wait to share our discussion — we will air it as episode 226 on Monday, May 2nd — so stay tuned for that. But during our conversation, Linda told me about how she used to work for James Patterson when James was the creative director of the agency where Linda worked. James and Linda worked together for 17 years and became great friends. As Linda shared with me, James did not become a great novelist by accident or luck. Instead, to perfect his craft, James would get up every morning at 4:00 and would write for four hours until 8:00 when he would leave his home for the agency. He would then put in a full day — go home — and be in bed by 8:30 every night. And he rinsed and repeated this process for 21 years, Onward Nation. Staggering. 21 years! Just think about how many times during those 21 years that he would have second guessed himself, called himself bat crazy, how much criticism he received from friends and family encouraging him to just quit and to give up on his dream, and so much more. But he didn’t. He remained committed to his vital priority — and after 21 years — he became the successful James Patterson we know today. Or how about Henry Ford…he was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company with the help of friends, family, and several investors who collectively helped him raise $28,000 in capital in 1903. And if you look through Mr. Ford’s timeline…you will see trials, tribulations, blood, sweat, tears, heartache, success, followed by disappointment, followed by triumph, followed by obstacles. So, let’s put all of these stories and principles into context by remembering the excellent lesson taught to me by Cody Foster, founder of Advisors Excel and my guest on episode 81 of Onward Nation. Cody said to me, “Stephen, don’t compare someone else’s front-of-stage with your back-of-stage.” Meaning…if you only look at someone’s front of stage — what you see in the public eye — you miss all of the struggles, the obstacles, the pain, the suffering, the courage, and their zig-zagged journey to where they are are now. And the last example I want to leave you with is Napoleon Hill. If you have been listening to Onward Nation for a while now — you know I love Napoleon’s book, “Think & Grow Rich.” I have such high regard for this book — it is, in my opinion — the ultimate guide to achieving success. But, most people don’t know the story behind the book’s success — and how the first edition, per se, was a great book but not well-received by the American public. Why? Several factors. First, it was published in 1928 — just one year before the Great Depression. The American public was not looking for — or ready for — a success manuscript at that time. And second, the book was huge and it was under a different title. It was the 612-page “Law of Success” — wow. I own the book — it is sitting on my desk right now — and it is amazing. It is essentially a more comprehensive version of “Think & Grow Rich.” Smartly, Napoleon decided to revise and repackage the Laws of Success by trimming it down — making it more concise — and then publishing it as “Think & Grow Rich” in 1937, nearly 10 years later, following the Depression. “Think & Grow Rich” then went on to sell 70 million copies worldwide. Again, no such thing as an overnight success. So don’t give up, Onward Nation! I hope you realize that the struggles you are facing — perhaps the abyss you are staring into right now — is all part of the master plan. You are more talented, more wonderful, more gifted, more incredible than you can possibly imagine. You are a child of the highest God and were blessed with an abundance of talent — so don’t quit — don’t give in — don’t stop. Keeping moving forward — success is there for you — just not overnight. So with that…I want to thank you again for taking the time to be here with me today. It is an honor to have you here — thank you for tuning in — I am delighted you chose this episode to be what you listen to, study, and take with you on your morning run, or maybe Onward Nation has become part of your daily commute, or in some other way has become part of your morning routine. However our daily podcast fits into your daily routine — I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the strategies we learn and share each day from today’s top business owners. And please continue to let me know what you think of Onward Nation…good or bad…I always want your feedback. My direct email address is stephen@onwardnation.com — and yes — that is my actual Inbox. No fancy filters or filing system and I read and reply to every single email. So please let me know how you think we are doing. I look forward to hearing from you. We will be back tomorrow with an incredible interview with Jordan Goodman, America’s Money Answers Man. You will not want to miss this discussion, Onward Nation! Until then, onward with gusto!

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media.     Good Morning Onward Nation. This is Stephen Woessner. I am grateful you decided to be here this morning — to be here right now –– to share your most precious resource with me and Onward Nation –– your resource of time. We all have the same 86,400 seconds in a day and I consider it a sacred exchange of time and value — so I am delighted you and I can have this time together today. Let’s start off by considering some difficult questions — and then as I always try to do — I’ll leave you with some action steps that you can apply into your business to move onward to that next level. How do we become great? How do we achieve greatness in all we do? How do we realize our full potential — your dream for success? Les Brown said, “I don’t believe that any of us are giving dreams that we cannot accomplish. It is possible. You can have your dream as you run toward it.” So why can’t you be the best in your industry? Why? Why not you? You may have heard these words from Sylvester Stallone… “Let me tell you something you already know. The world is not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place. And I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth — then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers and saying you ain’t where you want to be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that, and that ain’t you. You’re better than that.” Onward Nation…even some of the people who are closest to you — want you to fail. It isn’t because they are bad people. It’s because they love you and don’t want to lose you. But you can’t let their fears stop you. You have to decide that no matter what — no matter what you have to sacrifice in order to achieve greatness — you simply have to decide and finally agree with yourself that you are worthy to pursue your dream. That your dream — that deeply personal dream you are scared and afraid to be bold enough to chase with all of your gusto — that you are worthy to achieve that dream. That you will SHOW the world how great you are. Playing small does not serve your purpose — does not serve your WHY — and certainly does not serve God with all of the abundance of talents you were blessed with so you could build an extraordinary life for you, your family, and leave your impact on this world. If you are not making someone else’s life better — then you are wasting your time. Onward Nation…pain is temporary — it may last for a hour, day, a week, or even a year. But it will subside and be replaced by something else. But if you quit…your pain of regret will last forever. Instead, I encourage you to dig deep and pursue greatness like Bryan Arzani did. Bryan was my guest on episode 75 of Onward Nation. Bryan was broken…he was beat down by circumstances…by the fear of failure. He nearly went bankrupt twice. But he had the guts to keep moving forward. He said no to the fear and said “I WIN” and now he has. Because he decided greatness and success would be his fate. Or maybe you a listening to my voice right now and thinking to yourself…easy for you to say, Stephen…I just got served with this lawsuit from someone I trusted…a family member…or a business partner. How can I possibly go on? And if that is you…then do what Tim Fargo, my guest for episode 64, did. Tim shared the story of when he was at a Christmas party with friends and business associates and was served papers for a $10 million lawsuit — while he was at the party. Who was suing him? His former business partner — who also happened at the party! Did he quit? No. Why? Because Tim wanted to succeed as bad as he wanted to breathe. He dug deep — he fought — he won — and went on to great success when he sold his company. Oftentimes, one of the keys to success is being all-in on what you working so hard to accomplish. Eliminating any path of retreat. So Onward Nation, are you financially all-in with your business like Cody Foster? Cody was my guest during episode 80. Cody and his two co-founders at Advisors Excel invested everything they had 10 years ago to create the company. And it was not millions of dollars. It is was a modest amount while sitting at Cody’s kitchen table. Cody, Derrick, and David were all in ten years ago — and now they have built a company that will achieve over $5 billion this year. Or how about Carl Wright, my guest on episode 45 of Onward Nation. After the real estate market crashed…Carl was $14 million in debt. $14 million! He didn’t quit — instead — he took a few days to sit, think, and let the plan come to him. And then he decided he would make it happen. He would do it. And then he did it. He pursued it with all the energy he had — to make his vision a reality. You, Onward Nation, need to be the only person who you give permission to tell you what is so. And that is what Carl did, and now his company has built a real estate portfolio worth $100 million. All because Carl had the desire to be great and the will to win that pushed him forward. Carl was willing to pay the price and a little bit more. You have to do whatever it takes to get the job done. In the words of Art Williams… “Just do it, and do it, and do it, and do it, until the job gets done,” Onward Nation. The real challenge of greatness comes when you get knocked down and how you respond. Do you remember the story of Larry Winget, my guest in episode 98? He went to work, rich — and then by the time he left to go home that same day, he was poor and had lost everything. Not because of anything he did but because of circumstances outside his control in his industry. What did Larry do? Did he feel sorry for himself? Did he gather around a support group to listen to all of his misfortune and tell him it would be better someday? No. He developed a training program that contained four modules and then he started at the “A’s” in the phonebook selling the modules. Was it a glamorous way to make money? No. Was it effective? Yes. Why? Because no one else is willing to make that sacrifice — that same level of commitment. But that is what Larry did, and he won. Or how about David Mylrea, my guest on episode 35. At the beginning of his career, he was selling cars at a small town dealership in the heart of Wisconsin. When the gas crisis of the late 70s hit — and the country seemingly was no longer in the market for large gas guzzling cars, and the foot traffic at the dealership slowed –– did David quit? No. What did he do? He and his wife sat at their kitchen table…and typed letters to people right out of the phonebook…and mailed them. And what happened? People brought the letters into the dealership to see David and bought some cars. Why? Because no one had ever done that before. Onward Nation…it would have been easy for David, Larry, Carl, Bryan, and Tim to quit. But they didn’t. They allowed their pain to be part of their prize — to be part of their journey. They harnessed their will and challenged themselves to be successful. Just like Stacey Alcorn, my amazing guest for episode 3. When she had lost it all she could have given up and no one would have blamed her for quitting. But she didn’t. Instead she said yes to her dreams, she said yes to her unfolding future, instead of saying no. Now Stacey is a billionaire in the making and dominating the real estate industry in Massachusetts. Failure is the an ingredient to the recipe for success and greatness. Just listen to the stories of all the amazing and incredible business owners who have graced this show — the one thing the majority of them have in common is some sort of failure and sometimes a cataclysmic collapse — an epic failure of massive proportion. The loser is the one who fails and then quits. The loser and the winner have both failed. The difference is that the winner got back up again — got back into the ring — and pushed forward — learning from the past. While the loser sat there feeling sorry for himself or herself — making excuses why it didn’t work out, looking for a sympathetic ear, looking for a shoulder to cry on…anything to point to so that it didn’t have to be them who had failed. Fear kills dreams, Onward Nation. Fear kills hope. Fear puts people in the hospital. Fear can age you. Fear can hold you back from doing something that you know within yourself you are capable of doing but it will paralyze you. You are an incredible child of the most high God. You have every talent and skill already inside you that you need in order to be successful. It’s not easy. This road — this journey to success. But success leaves clues so let me share with you what I learned from Don Yaeger, one of my closest friends and most trusted mentors. Don created a list that he calls the 16 Characteristics of Greatness that he built after interview the most successful champions of our time. And then Don took the list deeper by creating the “Greatness Action List”. Step 1: I will not make excuses. Michael Jordan said, “A loss is not a failure until you make an excuse.” Step 2: I will constantly evaluate my inner circle, surrounding myself with those headed someplace special. Step 3: I will set aside time each day to re-center myself. Step 4: I will encourage at least one person each day. Step 5: I will do the necessary “homework” to make each day — each meeting — as productive as possible. Step 6: I will seek out a new opportunity for personal or professional growth every day. Step 7: I will envision success – actually see it in my mind — in all I do. Step 8: I will be better, not bitter, in moments of adversity. Step 9: I will not be intimidated by taking thoughtful risks. Step 10: I will stay open-minded, not allowing old patterns or habits to hold me back. Step 11: I will point out the contributions of others. Step 12: I will consider what I can do or sacrifice to help strengthen my team. Step 13: I will do something today for someone who cannot give me anything in return. Step 14: I will act all day as if my son or daughter (or my future child) were sitting by my side. Step 15: I will relish the chance to be a standard for others. Step 16: I will remember that my life requires balance. Put those characteristics to work in your business — in your life. And if you want a daily dose of greatness…go to DonYaeger.com and subscribe for his daily dose of greatness email — it is amazing. So, before I leave you today…there is one last point I want to make. Our time here on this Earth is limited — so please don’t waste it living someone else’s life. We all have the same 86,400 seconds in a day so make sure, Onward Nation, that you are living the life you want to live and building the business you want to build and pursuing the dreams you want to pursue. That your dreams are big enough, bold enough, courageous enough, so you can look back on your life with no regret. Please don’t settle. Have the courage to follow your heart. You are going to experience a lot of setbacks, a lot of pain…but you are more powerful than you could ever imagine. You are greater than your circumstances. You can look at that snooze button and go back to bed…or you can get up at 4:00 in the morning and get a 4-hour start on most of your competitors…get a half-day’s work in — 50% more strategy, 50% more content written, 50% more sales calls, 50% more emails to prospects…all of that — 50% more of your vital metrics by just getting up early. You can lay there in bed and dream about your dreams — fantasize about them — or — you can punch that clock, get up, and go pursue them. There’s a reason why we release all of our daily episodes at 4:00 in the morning, Onward Nation. One last quote…and I have this hanging on one of my office walls… “Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up and knows that it must run faster than the fastest Lion that day, or it will be killed and eaten. Every morning in Africa, a Lion wakes up and knows that it must run faster than the slowest Gazelle that day, or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter, Onward Nation, if you are a lion or a gazelle: when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” Decide to make a great day. And I look forward to being with you again tomorrow when we share my interview with Mitch Stephen. Until then…Onward with gusto! ------ OnwardNation.com ------

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media.   Good Morning Onward Nation…Stephen Woessner here. Last week, in episode 93, I shared that after 20+ years of owning five companies, and having an opportunity to work with and interview some of today’s top business owners here on Onward Nation, I’ve noticed 12 reoccurring themes – or Master Success Strategies of today’s top business owners — that come up over and over again because they have contributed to the success of our amazing and incredible guests at Onward Nation. I shared 5 of the master success strategies as well as some of the key insights learned from our first 99 guests along this great journey that has been Onward Nation. Wow…I am still getting used to the fact that tomorrow will be episode 100. 100 went by so quickly — and we are just getting started, Onward Nation! There is so much more to come. The feedback after sharing five of the success strategies was awesome — that the solocast was a helpful resource. And speaking of resources…did you download our 12 Success Strategies of Today’s Top Business Owners eBook? If not…why not? You can still download it here.   For today’s solocast…I selected 5 more of the 12 master success strategies — and we are going to do a deep dive. So that when we are done with today’s episode, you will have last week’s solocast to pair up with today’s, and you will have deep dives into 10 of the 12 strategies. Plus, the eBook we created for you contains all 12 success strategies. But…before we dig into today’s 5 strategies…I owe you and everyone in Onward Nation a very big thank you. If you are listening to your first-ever Onward Nation episode — I want to say thank you — and let you know how much it means to me that you decided to share your precious time with the ever-growing Onward Nation…today. Look, I know there are lots of excellent podcasts you can choose from — and I am grateful you chose to be here…right now. And if you have been listening to Onward Nation for a while now…you may already know how I feel about the sacredness of your time. We all have the same 86,400 seconds in a day — and I consider you being here — in this moment — right now — to be a sacred exchange of time and value. You are generously giving me your precious time — and in exchange — right now — I have to be at my best to deliver the value you expect. I know that I have to be at that quote – unquote “next level” to ensure you come back and continue to listen. So if I am serious about your time being sacred — then me going all-in and working hard at making this episode excellent is the best way for me to express my gratitude for you being here. And at any point — if you think I’m missing the mark — or — if I shared something helpful to you and your business — please let me know. I love feedback because it is the only way for me to get better. My email address is stephen @ onwardnation.com — and yep — that is my actual email address. No fancy filters. You send me an email and it will come right to my Inbox. I answer every single email. So please let me know — any time — thumbs up or thumbs down. Deal?   Okay, Onward Nation…here we go…a deep dive into 5 bonus master success strategies from today’s top business owners. Some of the strategies are simple and will only take a minute or two to cover, which also makes them easy to put into practice inside your business. But there are also several strategies that will require a deeper explanation. I will guide you through the step-by-step to putting each strategy into practice. And I’m also going to share the links to some of my favorite resources with you in today’s Show Notes.   Let’s dive into Strategy #4. Look for feedback Onward Nation…you will find success by looking for constructive feedback. All the time. The relentless pursuit of feedback as Joel Boggess, my guest during episode 4 of Onward Nation described. You must swallow your pride. You have to set your ego aside and then recognize that getting better is a process. As Vince Lombardi said, “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” And the only way to climb that mountain is to push your way up the side of the mountain — one step at a time. To conquer your fear of criticism. Because it is the fear of criticism that keeps you — that prevents you from asking for feedback. Fear prevents you from getting real — getting honest with yourself — getting honest with your performance — and getting honest with your scorecard. Looking for feedback takes guts, Onward Nation. It takes guts to seek out and listen to feedback. It is the only way to improve what is otherwise unknown. The relentless pursuit of feedback is not about seeking out compliments — it rests solely on seeking out how to get better. You cannot get to that next level — to move onward to that next level — until you start asking those who you currently serve — how you can get better — how you can do better for them — how you can deliver more value to them. Feedback is a critical ingredient for your entrepreneurial recipe. So what is the process to look for feedback? First…you need to surround yourself with mentors, books, training resources, and a trusted network of advisors. They will be invaluable to you in sharing the feedback you need to grow. Second…Onward Nation…you need to have the guts to ask customers Third…you need to ignore the fear of criticism. Fear is self-imposed. You are the one who creates it. Fear doesn’t actually exist but in your own mind. So don’t let fear keep you from asking for feedback, Onward Nation. You already know that owning a business is not always pretty — but everyone has to start somewhere — so don’t compare yourself to others who have been doing it longer than you. Cody Foster, my guest on episode 80 of Onward Nation taught me that very powerful lesson. I was in Topeka spending some time with Cody and his team at Advisors Excel and one night at Cody’s house he shared some stories from the early days of Advisors Excel — what it was like when there were only the three co-founders…and how they grew the business…and now…to look at Advisors Excel…it’s a multi-billion company with 350 employees and a 100,000 square foot office — and then compare their “front-of-stage” with your “back-of-stage” — or your present day reality. That is not a fair comparison. Now that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t seek out and use models of other successful companies to improve our own trajectory. But to compare your current state with a company that has been doing for 10-years longer than you can destroy the amazing, wonderful, and beautiful things you are presently working on. Comparisons are not feedback. Instead, look at their path and let that serve as inspiration of what is possible and not a comparison of where you are currently at. Don’t turn their path of success somehow into a mirror to see that you are underachieving. Remember, Onward Nation, “Limits like fears are often just an illusion.” So go out — set the fear of criticism aside — and look for feedback. Jim Rohn said,   “If you help enough people get what they want — you will get what you want.”   And the only way you can help them get what they want is by asking them — look for feedback — to learn how you can serve — how you can give.   Let’s keep that momentum of giving going…because strategy #6 is Give until there is nothing left Have you watched the movie “Pumping Iron” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno? It’s more than a movie, Onward Nation — it’s more like a powerful documentary — an illustration of what it is like to give and give and give until there is nothing left — and just when you think you cannot give any more toward the pursuit of your dream — you reach down deep — and you find a way to give just a bit more. I’ve studied the sport of bodybuilding and Arnold is the only competitor I have ever heard describe the intensity of his workouts to where he would push, and push, and push until he literally vomited in a trash can at the gym. So he would sit and rest for a few minutes. Then he would get up and get back to work. Right back at it. What was the result outcome for Arnold after all that intensity? He won the Mr. Olympia competition 6 times in a row. Then he took 5-years off from bodybuilding — but surprised the sport when he came back in 1980 and won the title again — just to show he could and that he was still the best. Even after taking 5-years off. Shane Stott, my guest for episode 8 of Onward Nation, said to me,   “Stephen, the only way a successful individual will get off the entrepreneurial treadmill is when they fall to the floor dead.”   You, Onward Nation, have to be that committed to your treadmill — that committed to your success. There is no such thing as an overnight success.  You have to willing to conquer the twist and turns through faith — the faith in knowing you are on the right path — and that you will not change course. As John Lee Dumas said in episode 38…you need to F.O.C.U.S…which stands for Follow One Course Until Success, Onward Nation. So don’t think small when you CAN and SHOULD think BIG! I am going to link in the Show Notes one of the best motivational videos that I have ever watched. I have listened to it hundreds of times. I shared it with Shane Stott a couple of years ago and he converted it into an MP3 file and now listens to it every morning on his drive to work. It is part of his pre-work morning ritual. Watch the video — listen to the message — and when you do — ask yourself this question…“Have I given all that I can give toward being successful?” I guarantee that your answer — if you are honest with yourself — is no — there is still more you can give. You still have more, Onward Nation! You are well able to give more and become more. How Bad Do you Want to Succeed Motivational Speech   And now I will move to strategy #7: Eliminate distractions and then DO IT! In episode 9, Afraa Zammam — who joined me on Onward Nation from her office in the countryside outside of Berlin, Germany — said to me,   “Stephen, you must get rid of any distractions in your environment — because distractions aren’t just wasting your time — they are diminishing — they are wasting away your ability to accomplish your goals.”   Here’s the reality…if you are spending an hour checking Facebook every day — or Twitter — or watching 40-hours of TV each week (which is the average of the US population by the way) — if that is what you’re doing — you are not only distracted — but you are investing heavily toward your failure — versus investing heavily toward your success! You must eliminate the distractions and sometimes the distractions are not Facebook, Twitter, or putting a better time management system into place. Sometimes the greatest distractions are people on your team who are not moving at the pace and tempo you need them to. Remember Onward Nation, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Wise words from Jim Rohn. So release the non-performers — they are a distraction to you and your team of A Players. And by releasing them…you will empower your A Players to perform at the level they want to. Now, once you eliminate the distractions — you need to stop making excuses and get back to the business of hard work by putting your mind to the task at the hand…and just do it. If you want a great resource on excuses…flip to page 189 of Think & Grow Rich and you will find a list of 57 excuses that we all tell ourselves every day — and those excuses are robbing you, Onward Nation of your future. Excuses like: If I had the money to invest If I had a good education If I only had the time If other people understood me If conditions around me were only different If I could only do what I want If I could meet the right people If I could just get a break And the list goes on. There are 57 of them. Read the list — study the list — and then don’t let yourself use those excuses. You are better than that, Onward Nation. In this section of today’s Show Notes…I am also going to include a link to another resource — a well-known speech by Art Williams, entitled Just Do It. Art’s words will make you laugh and he may even call you on the carpet in a few areas because his words might expose some of the excuses you have been telling yourself. And how you have allowed yourself to become distracted. Watch it. Study it. You will be glad you did.   Okay, Onward Nation… 2 more strategies to go…let’s power through…now on to Strategy #10: Decide if this is right for you Marianne Williamson said…   “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”   Onward Nation, there will be days when you question your sanity for doing what you are doing. Today may be one of those days for you. The first step to you being successful is simply deciding that this is the right thing for you. Is it? Or isn’t? If you are in — then be all in. Burn the boats — eliminate any chance of retreat — and be all in. And as I learned from Tony Robbins…we all have the power to decide — to decide to make a radical change. Change doesn’t have to take a long time — change can happen in an instant when the decision you make is a MUST. It is completely within our ability to harness the power of decisions that guides our trajectory, Onward Nation. Does that mean that being successful is as easy as making the decision to be successful? No, but making that decision — a true decision — is the critical first step — and then you have to work your face off, like Gary Vaynerchuk says…my guest for episode 42 of Onward Nation. With that said…if you want some insights — some quotes — to carry you through the rest of the day…then I have another resource for you. It is an incredible video compilation and I will include it in today’s Show Notes.   Now, Onward Nation…it is time for the final master success strategy. It is Strategy #11: Do it the right way Larry Broughton, my guest for episode 18 on Onward Nation taught us much about excellence…perseverance…tenacity…and always working to do the right thing…and not giving up. You see…Larry spent nine years in the U.S. Army Green Berets where the words “quit” or “half-way” were not part of the vocabulary. In fact, Larry said to me, “Stephen, you have choose to do the hard right over the easy wrong.” An anthem — a mission — the Green Berets use every day to guide their work — their pursuit of excellence. What a powerful lesson about doing it the right way. The right way is the only way, Onward Nation. David Mammano, my guest on episode 17 of Onward Nation, believes that success will come to business owners if they stay committed to implementing excellent standards and developing a pristine culture. So be committed, Onward Nation, to building a culture of greatness within your company. How? You need to coach your team on how to do it the right way — you set the pace — you must show them how to do it the right way — how you manage your time with excellence — but if you suck at those things or are average — then don’t expect your team to be excellent. How can you expect them to do it the right way when you don’t do it the right way? Don’t take shortcuts — shortcuts will inevitably lead to failure. Remember, you set the pace…you are the example of excellence in your company…you must be committed to doing it the right way…and if you are…your team will do it the right way and you will succeed at strategy #12.   Okay, Onward Nation – I hope those 5 master success strategies shared in this solocast were valuable to you. Please drop me a line and let me know what you thought. You can share your comments at the bottom of the show notes for this episode – or – you can email me anytime at Stephen @ onwardnation.com and yes – that is my actual email address – comes directly to me – no fancy filter, routing, or sorting…comes right to my Inbox. Feel free to use it anytime. Let me know…thumbs up or thumbs down? We will be back tomorrow with episode 100 — a very special episode — a special milestone. It is such a privilege to be here with you — to have been here for 99 episodes — thank you, Onward Nation. Until tomorrow…onward with gusto!   You can also find us here: ------ OnwardNation.com ------

Cody is one of the three Founders of Advisors Excel. In 2004, after leaving a corporate job to partner with David Callanan to be financial advisors, they decided there was an opportunity in the marketplace. So, in 2005, along with Derek Thompson, they formed Advisors Excel. Currently, Cody plays an integral part in the development and execution of the revolutionary marketing and training systems that Advisors Excel continues to bring to the table for their advisors. Advisors Excel has become one of the fastest growing insurance marketing organizations in the country, and their story has been featured in SUCCESS Magazine, Cody was interviewed by Darren Hardy publisher of SUCCESS who also profiled Advisors Excel in his latest book The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster. Cody and his organization were also featured in Tony Robbins' #1 New York Times bestselling book, Money -- Master the Game.   Secret -- timesaving technique Cody focuses on three priorities that align with their organizational model. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Cody likes to wake up early to exercise, which fuels his energy for the rest of the workday. Could have ruined your business -- but now -- an invaluable learning experience Cody dealt with a family member running into financial trouble -- and Cody tells the whole story here. Most critical skill you think business owners need to master to be successful “Business owners need to provide a clear corporate vision -- only the owner is responsible for this vision.” Most influential lesson learned from a mentor “Nothing beats hard work -- success comes to those who put the hours in -- serve the client"   Final Round -- “Breaking Down the Recipe for Success”   What systems would you go back and put into place sooner? I would have gone back and implemented a team-building system versed in unity and collaboration. What one strategy or “recipe” would compound into big wins for business owners? Business owners need to create a favorable client-experience -- it’s about a personalized positive impact. How to exceed expectations and add the most value? An individual who is honest -- trustworthy -- and has an unwavering attitude due to their effort. What strategy would you recommend new business owners focus on to best ensure success? Accept Responsibility Simplify your Business How best to connect with Cody: http://www.advisorsexcel.com/team/cody-foster.php   You can also find us here: ------ OnwardNation.com ------

Kristian L. Finfrock is the Founder/Financial Advisor at Retirement Income Strategies. Kristian is an active member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) and Advisors Excel, a national group founded to provide guidance and education to the highest level of financial professionals in the industry. In his current practice, Kristian and his team help individuals and business clients establish sophisticated—yet easy to understand—solutions for protecting and preserving wealth while minimizing tax exposure.   Secret -- timesaving technique Our team has a strategy session at the start of the week -- we are able to tackle the financial service workload. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Kristian likes to have a power hour -- his power hour helps him to dial in on his business. Could have ruined your business -- but now -- an invaluable learning experience Kristian felt restricted as a captive agent -- and Kristian tells the whole story here. Most critical skill you think business owners need to master to be successful “A business owner has to hire the right people -- and delegate tasks to the appropriate team-members.” Most influential lesson learned from a mentor “Marketing is everything -- find a way to deliver the message -- find a new and unique way to tell the story.”   Final Round -- “Breaking Down the Recipe for Success”   What systems would you go back and put into place sooner? “I would have implemented a system to simplify the process of scaling my business.” What one strategy or “recipe” would compound into big wins for business owners? It’s very important to expect the unexpected -- change is inevitable -- and preparation is essential. How to exceed expectations and add the most value? An individual who takes ownership -- works towards a goal -- and never backs down from a challenge. What strategy would you recommend new business owners focus on to best ensure success? Plan to fail -- it leads to opportunity Just do it -- believe in yourself -- embrace the challenge Find a mentor How best to connect with Kristian: https://madisonsfinancialplanner.com/media/   You can also find us here: ------ OnwardNation.com ------