Podcast appearances and mentions of amber hurdle

In this episode of The Confidence Doc, Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Rukmini Rednam sits down with Amber Hurdle, a globally recognized brand strategist and keynote speaker. Amber shares how she helps companies, from Fortune 100s to fast-growing startups, build magnetic brand experiences by aligning identity, purpose, and strategy. She reflects on her journey into branding and explains why true branding goes far beyond logos and colors, diving into values, personality, and impact.They explore how personal identity shapes brand voice and why authenticity is essential in digital communication. Amber breaks down how she uses AI to enhance branding efforts without losing the human touch, including training her own AI to replicate her tone for more natural-sounding, on-brand content. She emphasizes the value of using templates as a foundation for personalized, impactful messaging.Key Topics Covered:Amber Hurdle's journey into branding and strategyWhy branding is more than just visualsHow to use personality to shape your brandStaying authentic while using AI toolsCommunicating with purpose and clarityReal examples of branding with AITune in for a conversation on brand alignment, personal growth, and the tools that help businesses and individuals leave a lasting impression.Follow Amber Hurdle:LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/theamberhurdle Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theamberhurdle Twitter: https://twitter.com/theamberhurdle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamberhurdle/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amberhurdle/Brand Edge AcceleratorYour reputation is your currency—and it should be working overtime for you. Brand Edge Accelerator is a membership program designed for founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who are scaling their brands and need a strategic, results-driven approach to positioning themselves as authorities in their industries while leveraging the power of AI.Request your consultation here:Contact Rukmini Rednam, MD in Houston TX and The Woodlands (drrukminirednam.com)

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Guesty, your all-in-one platform for hospitality businesses to automate and optimize every aspect of your operations. ***Use code SSTIRCRAZY for 50% off your first annual plan***  >> Discover more about Guesty in the Virtual Vendor Showcase In a recent post on Linkedin, Amber Hurdle said: “Your ChatGPT Is Showing….and it's stripping the authenticity out of your brand. ”Whether it's an over-use of hyphens, emojis or particular sentence structures, most of us have used enough of them to be ‘seen' as ChatGPT users, and the grammar police aren't taking prisoners.   It's time to take back our humanness and our attention to sharing personal brand in a way that makes us unique.If you have ever been in a room where Amber Hurdle is speaking, you'll appreciate her passion for branding and marketing, and will have come away with a renewed enthusiasm for making your mark.   In this episode, Amber brings the zest she shares in her opening keynotes to the topic of strategic use of AI in the ways we communicate and build our brands.‍ Revolutionize Your Employee Onboarding with THRIVE Essentials: Faster Training, Stronger Teams, Better Results! Discover how THRIVE Essentials accelerates onboarding for new property management staff, boosting performance and reducing turnover. >> THRIVE Essentials Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/VRS601  

It's a milestone moment for Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals as we celebrate our 200th episode together with some of the most brilliant and influential podcasters in the vacation rental industry. To make this occasion extra special, Amber Hurdle and Travis Wilburn take over hosting duties, flipping the script by putting Alex & Annie in the guest seats. This episode is a tribute to the journey of not just Alex & Annie but the entire podcasting community that amplifies the voices of vacation rental professionals, pioneers, and enthusiasts. Joining the celebration are some of the industry's key influencers: Sarah and T, Wil Slickers, Tom Goodwin, Amber Hurdle, and Travis Wilburn. Together, they represent a collective history of over 1,100 episodes and more than 6 million listeners. This lively and inspiring conversation delves into the trends shaping the vacation rental industry, the origins of some of your favorite podcasts, and the transformative power of podcasting on careers and lives. Key Topics Discussed:

In this special throwback episode, we revisit a powerful conversation with Amber Hurdle, CEO and founder of Employer Brand Central. Originally aired around this time last year, this episode marks a pivotal moment for Alex & Annie as they navigated career transitions and personal growth. Amber's wisdom, energy, and insights set the tone for what was to come, not just for the hosts, but for countless listeners. Amber reflects on the importance of building strong personal and employer brands, overcoming self-doubt, and unlocking potential by “getting out of your own way.” With actionable advice and heartfelt stories, this episode will resonate with anyone standing at the edge of a new beginning or deep in the trenches of change. Whether you're rethinking your career, building your personal brand, or simply seeking inspiration, this episode is packed with insights to guide you forward. Key Topics Discussed:

In this insightful episode of the Vacation Rental Success Podcast, host Heather Bayer sits down with Amber Hurdle, the host of the Bombshell Business Podcast and author of The Bombshell Businesswoman. Inspired by a recent newsletter from Amber, Heather explores the fascinating world of AI and its impact on personal and professional branding in our vacation rental business. Amber shares her expertise on integrating AI effectively into your business strategy, ensuring you harness its power while maintaining authenticity and emotional connection with both guests and owners. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Discover the THRIVE Training System and attend an information session to get your questions answered about our foundational team training: https://vacationrentalformula.com/thrive-live-webinar. Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/VRS567

Elizabeth Francisco, CXO of Inhabit, sits down with Amber Hurdle, Founder and CEO of Employer Brand Central, to discuss the science behind personal brand and how it plays a role in your professional and personal reputation. Amber Hurdle works with companies that want to strengthen their employer brand and company culture to drive employee engagement, profitability, and brand awareness. Meeting planners and organizations hire Amber for her straight-shooting and humorous advice that empowers leaders, unites teams, and inspires action to achieve bottom-line results. The founder of Employer Brand Central, Amber's agency turns branding on its head to ensure each employee upholds their company's brand promise to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty. EBC's winning formula strengthens brands from the inside out with a focus on reducing talent-related expenses and driving revenue through an engaged team to increase margin. As a proud member of the Association for Corporate Growth, Amber has a special knack for working with middle-market businesses and investors in the M&A space that need to quickly and effectively merge brands while communicating the vision and strategy to the teams who get the work done. Connect with Amber Hurdle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theamberhurdle/ About ResMan: ResMan delivers the property management industry's most innovative technology platform, making property investments and operations more profitable and easier to manage. ResMan's platform unlocks a new path to growth for property management companies that deliver consistent NOI improvement and brilliant resident experiences easier than ever before. To learn more about our platform, visit http://myresman.com/

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - money matters! Especially in business. The official Amber Hurdle definition of business is: I solve your problems, you give me money for doing so.  Why though, do so many entrepreneurs struggle with this issue? They often do not know the full picture of their financial position and they're afraid, or unwilling, to even pay themselves. Today's guest, Danielle Hayden, joins me to discuss the ins and outs of entrepreneurship as it relates to finances and how to build the best money team to support you.  Key Takeaways Who should be on your money team and why like your bookkeeper, tax accountant, financial advisor, business coach, and the like. The importance of a business budget and actually understanding your financial reports. Various money personality types, how to know who you are, and what this means for you. What is a profit planner and how do you use it? Why you need to take an owner's draw! Are you ready to take charge of your business's financial well-being? Tune in on your favorite listening app, visit the website, or watch it on YouTube! Links & Mentioned Resources Freebies: kickstartaccountinginc.com/gift/ Podcast: kickstartaccountinginc.com/businessbythebooks/ About Danielle Hayden Danielle Hayden is the Co-Founder and CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. a bookkeeping and accounting firm that is on a mission to coach six figure (+ beyond) female entrepreneurs so they can better understand their numbers through bookkeeping, financial analysis, and support so they can grow profitable, sustainable and enjoyable businesses. With over 15 years experience in the world of finance, Danielle has worked her way from accounting firm intern to the Co-Founder of Kickstart Accounting. She understands how complex business finances can be, and she knows that entrepreneurs need more than just a bookkeeper; they need real financial analysis and support in order to get the confidence required to create the sustainable wealth they deserve. Danielle brings a unique perspective when it comes to providing business owners with “the total package” as it relates to their finances. She's has been a guest on multiple top-rated shows including, A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast, The How of Business and Female emPOWERED: Winning in Business & Life. She is also the host of the Business By the Books podcast. When Danielle isn't in her money mindset work you can find her hiking or spending time with her family. Connect with Danielle LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-hayden-kickstartaccounting/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/kickstartaccounting/ Website: kickstartaccountinginc.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this empowering episode of "Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals", we're reunited with a dear friend and the  very first podcast guest, Amber Hurdle, the CEO and founder of Employer Brand Central. Together, the A.H. Trio dives deep into the transformative power of confidence and personal branding.The Fluidity of Confidence:The conversation delves into the concept of confidence not being static, but something that needs continuous work and self-awareness. They discuss the vulnerability and insecurities inherent in everyone, challenging the misconception that confident individuals are immune to self-doubt. Amber encourages listeners to embrace their personal power and not let external validation or negative opinions affect their self-worth.Wrap-up:This episode serves as a reminder that confidence is a journey, and it requires self-reflection, resilience, and the willingness to step out of one's comfort zone. By embracing personal power, building a strong personal brand, and surrounding oneself with the right people, individuals can unlock their potential and navigate through life's transitions with confidence and purpose.Key Takeaways:

Do you want to have a brand that attracts Hell Yes clients and opportunities that align with your values and goals? You're in the right place! Amber Hurdle helps professionals connect the combined value of personal, employer, and business brands to achieve bottom-line results.Amber Erickson-Hurdle flipped the dialogue around branding on its head. She understands what it takes to accelerate success as a former teen mom who evolved into a powerhouse businesswoman, having worked with international celebrities and Fortune 100 companies. If you are ready to dig into the core of branding and grow a successful business from within, this episode is for you!In this episode, you will be able to:Learn to define and position your own value.Understand the role of personal branding in entrepreneurship.Discover how to build emotional connections with the right customers.Full Show Notes Here!Links & Mentioned ResourcesBombshell Business Podcast with Amber HurdleEmployer Brand CentralConnect with Amber HurdleWebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInTwitterYouTubeEnjoy today's episode? 1. DM me @mrdarrellevans on Instagram.2. Click here to leave us a rating and review on follow on Apple Podcasts.3. Join the Growth Driven Entrepreneur Community 4. Want to work with Darrell one on oneThanks for listening,Darrell

I 100% believe that one of the highest leveraged uses of your time is to focus on honing in your messaging and positioning. This is why, whenever I get the chance to talk to someone who focuses on this exact topic, I NERD out. In today's episode, you'll meet Amber Hurdle. Amber learned about branding from an unexpected place… After getting pregnant at age 16, she had to learn branding to reposition herself as a multi-award-winning, powerhouse businesswoman. So if you're someone with a message to get out into the world and want to learn how to create a brand in alignment with your values and purpose… this episode is for you! To learn more about Amber, visit https://7figuremillennials.com/podcast/amber-hurdle/

Thoughtful interview with Amber Hurdle, Brand Specialist and Marketer. We will be discussing the STR Industry and the companies and brands around it. Contact me anytime on my link

Thoughtful interview with Amber Hurdle, Brand Specialist and Marketer. We will be discussing the STR Industry and the companies and brands around it. Contact me anytime on my link

Amber Erickson-Hurdle helps organizations build reputations that attract, retain, and inspire top talent. As CEO of Employer Brand Central, Amber helps professionals connect the combined value of personal brands, employer brands, and business brands to increase market share and profitability, reduce turnover, and amplify satisfaction among customers and employees alike. Amber was recognized by Global Gurus for being among the top 30 brand professionals in 2020-2022, ranking #8 in the world for 2022. Although she is an in-demand keynote speaker, multi-award-winning consultant, and coach, she always finds time for her two adult kids, her Cavapoo Gibbs, and all of the outdoor activities she can squeeze in at home or on the road.  This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ Links: amber@employerbrandcentral.com employerbrandcentral.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/theamberhurdle/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/employer-brand-central/

In this episode, epic event emcee, professional speaker, former Home Shopping Network personality and CEO of a multi-apparel company, and my sweet friend, Carolyn Strauss, shares how to harvest the best outcomes from your sphere of influence. She believes that everything is about being helpful, and the more help you offer, the more money you make. While there really is a ton of genuine advice in this episode about sales, positioning and knowing your value, this is really you being a fly on the wall as my dear friend and I real talk about our experiences as speakers, as (single) women in business who are sometimes considered “too much” and so much more. I think women will relate and men will see a different perspective that is helpful.  About Carloyn Strauss Carolyn Strauss is a former CEO of a multi-million dollar apparel company featured on the Home Shopping Network, one of the top professional female emcees in the world, and a sought after professional speaker having earned her CSP. She is the author of five books, the co-host of the podcast "Another Day Above Ground" and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Carolyn believes a good day contains chocolate.   Connect with Carlyn Strauss LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolynstrauss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/CarolynStrauss Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolynstrauss Podcast: https://anotherdayaboveground.com/ Subscribe, Rate & Review Be sure to tune in on your favorite listening app or watch it on YouTube. While you are there, we would treasure your honest rating and review so more Bombshells like you can find the show. And if you are feeling super generous, share the most recent episode with a friend!  Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on: iTunes YouTube Stitcher Radio Amazon Music Audible Spotify iHeart Radio Google Podcasts TuneIn Or simply tell Alexa, "Play Bombshell Business Podcast with Amber Hurdle.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to build resilience, increase self awareness and improve your understanding of others? -Today more than ever I believe the entire world could benefit from all of these things.  Well it's a good thing this week I was lucky enough to have Robin Hills on today's episode of the Bombshell Business Podcast. We discuss defining emotional intelligence and how hard it is to work with emotions and that they are not fluffy, but rather hard to work with! Robin explains the importance of identifying your individual feelings and using that data to inform what you are going to do next. You can then use that data to interact with your team, and show them much needed empathy. Part of this journey includes strengthening your self awareness by using feedback and failures as your guide, and remembering to do what feels right. Later in the episode we focus on strengthening leadership skills by recognizing our impact on others. We need to remember that people are the sum of their past and present experiences, honor that, and know that if our engagement is misaligned we must have hard conversations in order to adjust.  So if you are ready to dive deep, look within, and ultimately increase your empathy and understanding for others, tune in on your favorite podcast app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube. About Robin Hills  Robin Hills is the director of Ei4Change, a company specialized in emotional intelligence, positive psychology and neuroscience. He has taught more than 250,000 students how to build resilience, increased self-awareness and understanding of others.  He is the author of two books and has developed the experiential coaching methodology: Images of Resilience and sits on the North West Committee of the Association of Business Psychology. Connect with Robin Hills Robin's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EI4Change/ Robin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ei4Change Robin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ei4change/ Robin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ei4change/ Robin's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBBxGskYxL0wnRfuyz_wHZA/feed Download Robin's free book – Developing your Emotional Intelligence https://courses.ei4change.info/courses/free-book Enroll in Robin's free online course – Managing with Mindfulness https://courses.ei4change.info/courses/working-with-mindfulness Subscribe, Rate & Review Be sure to tune in on your favorite listening app or watch the show on YouTube. While you are there, we would treasure your honest rating and review so more Bombshells like you can find the show. And if you are feeling super generous, share the most recent episode with a friend! Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on iTunes Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Google Podcasts Subscribe on the Bombshell Business Podcast on YouTube Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Stitcher Radio Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Spotify Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on TuneIn Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Audible Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Amazon Music Or simply tell Alexa, "Play Bombshell Business Podcast with Amber Hurdle.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isn't it time to (finally) get serious about investing time and energy into YOUR wellbeing? If you want some serious inspiration to prioritize yourself in the midst of your many competing obligations, this episode featuring Megan Gallagher, a 26-year-old, two-time TEDx speaker, four-time best selling author, on-camera host and mental health advocate is for you!  Together we discuss how when you decide to take responsibility for your happiness, eat healthy and get in shape, not to mention cut out toxic people in your life, you'll notice how much better life gets!  Megan also gives specific, step-by-step advice on how to overcome some of the traps we fall into. For example, she advises when you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else, you can ask: Step One: Have you met the person you are comparing yourself to in person? Step Two: Have you seen where and how they really live? Step Three: Have you spent 24-48 hours with them in person? The answers to these questions are likely no, no, and no. So it's an easy reality check to remember that you can't compare your life to someone else's highlight reel. (And she even reveals some of the sneaky ways people appear way more affluent than they are!) In the end, Megan encourages listeners to take their power back and not allow any circumstances or people to decide their destiny. It's a must listen to episode whether you are feeling a little down in the dumps or if you are on a determined trajectory to fulfill your fiercest potential!  About Megan Gallagher Megan Gallagher is a 26 year old 2x TEDx speaker, 4x best selling author, on-camera host & mental health advocate. After struggling with mental health issues as a teenager, she decided to leave College and pursue her own dreams. While speaking at schools, she realized how healing this was for her life journey. Over the past eight years, she has spoken at over 750 schools(middle schools, high schools and colleges). Megan is on a mission to inspire the world with her story.  Connect with Megan Gallagher Website: www.meganwgallagher.com Megan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganwgallagher/ Megan's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganwgallagher Megan's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9zIHAvUchVFaYRmUidZqg/videos Megan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/meganwgallagher Megan's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-gallagher-310281119/ Megan's Snapchat: megangallag2369 Megan's Tik Tok: megangallagher43 Email Megan: meganwgallagher@gmail.com Buy Megan's Book:  How To Thrive In The Virtual Classroom Subscribe, Rate & Review Be sure to tune in on your favorite listening app or watch the show on YouTube. While you are there, we would treasure your honest rating and review so more Bombshells like you can find the show. And if you are feeling super generous, share the most recent episode with a friend! Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on iTunes Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Google Podcasts Subscribe on the Bombshell Business Podcast on YouTube Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Stitcher Radio Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Spotify Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on TuneIn Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Audible Subscribe to the Bombshell Business Podcast on Amazon Music Or simply tell Alexa, "Play Bombshell Business Podcast with Amber Hurdle.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the World Economic Forum, women lost 36 years of progress in 2020 alone, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's an entire generation lost. What can we all do as women and male allies to help our sisters rise and thrive? This week's guest shares every day actions which will help propel women and girls forward in our homes, offices and the world!  This week on the Bombshell Business Podcast, host Amber Hurdle taps into the wisdom and experience of Jane Fiette, founder and executive director of The Coaching Fellowship, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of young women leaders in social and environmental change. A seasoned leadership expert, Jane has dedicated her life to achieving equality for women — empowering them to create impact and build the world of tomorrow, today. Women have GREAT potential when they are empowered. Tune in to find out exactly how to empower yourself or a woman you love! Connect with Jane Finette Website: https://tcfs.org *Join the newsletter at The Coaching Fellowship to learn about the progress of the young women social and environmental change leaders they support: https://tcfs.org/subscribe *Become a donor if they want to fuel and accelerate our impact in the world: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/the-coaching-fellowship LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/janefinette/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/janefinette LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janefinette/ Buy her book (All proceeds go to The Coaching Fellowship): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1636767427/ If you know a young woman social change leader around the world, please encourage her to apply! Find out more at https://tcfs.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transparent leadership means leading with openness and honesty. “You playing small doesn't serve the world.” Marianne Williamson Amber Hurdle of Amber Hurdle Consulting helps leaders confidently define and position their value so they can maximize their influence, focus and results. She is the founder of The Bombshell Business Bootcamp group coaching experience and the Velvet Machete Leadership Academy certification course, she pioneers using both science and marketing principles to strengthen brands and leaders from the inside out. She is also the author of The Bombshell Business Woman and host of the Bombshell Business Podcast. Amber understands how to accelerate success as a teen mom turned powerhouse businesswoman, having worked with celebrities, executives and Fortune 100 companies alike. She was recognized among the “Top 40 Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal, by the The Nashville Area Chamber's Nashville Emerging Leader Awards (NELA) as the winner in the Business Services category, and by Global Gurus for being among the top 30 brand professionals consecutively from 2020 through 2022, ranking #8 in the world in 2022. Favorite snack is radish medallions and water. https://amberhurdle.com/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle https://www.facebook.com/theamberhurdle https://twitter.com/theamberhurdle https://www.linkedin.com/in/theamberhurdle/ http://www.youtube.com/user/amberhurdle/ Music-"Homesick" Copyright 2018. Written by Shireen Amini. Produced by Shireen Amini and Mike Davidson of Plaid Dog Recording (Boston, MA)

In this episode of the Bombshell Business Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Chana Mason about how entrepreneurs can reshape their money mindset. Together they discuss: Why Chana is compelled to help others overcome their false money stories  How to gain mastery over your thinking  Specific steps to take to transform your relationship with money Awesome analogies and stories to keep your mind focused on abundance! Links and Mentioned Resources The Cash Machine Challenge: https://amberhurdle--lionstail.thrivecart.com/money-mindset-madness/ (affiliate) The Cash Machine Free Ebook https://buildmycashmachine.com/download/ About Chana Mason A gang of armed men broke into Chana's childhood home in Bogota, Colombia, and held her family hostage. Her family miraculously fled to Miami , but 5-years-old Chana's sense of safety was decimated.  Two decades later, Chana still dealt with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. To heal herself, she dove into a journey to rediscover her peace and joy. She's learned from the world's top experts on the human mind and uses her gift for turning complex ideas into easy-to-access tools for transformation. Through her straight talk, open heart, and addictive joy, Chana helps thousands clarify their vision, shift beliefs getting in their way, and manifest their dreams. Chana lives with her family in the funky Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem and works with individuals and communities around the world. Connect with Chana Mason Website https://chanamason.com/ Podcast https://chanamason.com/podcasts/ Videos https://chanamason.com/videos/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChanaMasonGuide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a bold, brave female entrepreneur doesn't mean you never fall down; it means that when you do fall down, you get back up, because if you don't quit, it will get better. Amber Hurdle is living proof of this. Amber is the CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award-winning consulting firm that pioneers using both science and marketing principles to strengthen customers' brands from the inside out. She also was a teen mom, working multiple jobs to provide for her baby and in 2020 she had to completely re-envision her business when, as a result of the pandemic, almost overnight she lost 18 months of speaking engagements and coaching clients.  Today she helps female entrepreneurs overcome costly business problems like ineffective recruiting, turnover, underperformance, declining morale and leadership gaps by clearly connecting her clients' people strategy to their business strategy, reminding her clients to lead with their heart first and that a little bit of grit goes a long way.  Show topics include: In Episode 65 of The Lean Out Your Business Podcast, Host, Crista Grasso and Amber discuss: 3:00 what it means to be a bold, brave, female entrepreneur 4:51 the 4-steps of being leading like a bombshell 7:59 what it looks like to start from zero each day 12:57 a better way to look at “failure” 17:09 how to know when it's time to quit 19:09 how the mantra “simplify to amplify” can change your life and your business 21:30 what to do if your entrepreneur eyes are bigger than your belly (aka the amount of time you have in a day) 28:25 why being weird is a good thing, especially for entrepreneurs Links from Today's Episode: Want more time with Amber? Connect with her here: Website: https://amberhurdle.com/ Free Quiz: What Type of Bombshell Business Woman Are You?  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theamberhurdle Twitter: https://twitter.com/theamberhurdle Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theamberhurdle/ Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/amberhurdle/ Listen to The Bombshell Business Podcast.  Order your copy of The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur. Work with Crista: Ready to build your signature, scalable offer? Join our 90-day Build to Scale incubator program.  Apply to join the Simplify to Scale Business Accelerator program, a program for those who have completed Build to Scale or who already have a proven scalable signature offer. It helps you grow and scale that offer and then develop your full scalable signature offer suite. Want to start your strategic planning? Order your 90 Day Planner to help you create and execute your plan, remembering to plan "just in time." If you have a plan but are struggling to execute, are not getting your desired results or are wondering if your vision needs some fine tuning, your book your 1:1 business intensive session with Crista and start getting the outcomes you knew you could.  If you loved this episode then you won't want to miss the opportunity to join like minded, high achieving women at the Lean Out, Level Up Retreat. Reserve your spot today! Love this podcast? Then you want to join the Lean Out Method community on Facebook for weekly mini trainings with Crista.

This week, Andy and Tyann speak to Amber Hurdle, public speaker, author and vacation rental industry influencer. Amber talks about how a journey to Europe to connect with her Italian heritage left her feeling completely at home - even though she'd never even been to Italy before!  While Ambers' story starts with a deep longing to understand herself better through her ancestors, it unfolds into a conversation about ways vacation rental owners can tap into the history of their guests. She suggests that by focusing on the heritage, background and history of a property or area, hosts can provide a unique stay that evokes a far more compelling guest experience - and make you stand out of the vacation rental crowd. And - Tyann again challenges you to find the special, historical or cultural experience that is local to you - and make sure your guests know about it!    

This episode is sponsored by the Virtual Vendor Showcase. You can discover more about the Virtual Vendor Showcase here: https://vacationrentalformula.com/vvs Listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/VRS423 Want to get access to some of our best tools? Get The Toolbox >> https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/toolbox

On today's episode we share highlights of an amazing week at the Vacation Rental Women's Summit (VRWS) at The Ritz Carlton in New Orleans. This event was top-notch on every level, and the collaborative atmosphere among attendees was truly remarkable. We had the opportunity to go to dinner with keynote speaker Amber Hurdle, who was also our very first guest on the podcast (Episode 2) and has affectionately become our "spirit woman". More on that in the episode! We share highlights from our very first breakout session, where we had the founders of the startup Got2Go in the "OTA Hot Seat" for some heavy hitting Q&A with great audience participation. Side note, do you remember when Airbnb came to VRMA in 2008 and asked for our feedback as they built out their platform? Neither do we....because it didn't happen :) This collaborative session with Got2Go was unique in nature and showed how these founders are truly building a platform for hosts, by hosts. Big thanks to Amy Hinote and her incredible staff at VRM Intel that produced both the opening and closing conferences of 2021. Business travel is back, and we love being part of this collaborative industry that grows so much from these events. We also reflect on the past 2 months of learning how to build a podcast. Spoiler alert... "ALWAYS HIT RECORD"! Want to know what's in store for us in 2022? Tune in to find out what we're most excited about!Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/IJOLx5Vi-oc CONTACT ALEX & ANNIEAlexandAnniePodcast.comLinkedIn | Facebook | InstagramAlex Husner - LinkedinAnnie Holcombe - LinkedinPodcast Sponsored by Condo-World and Lexicon Travel

This week's episode of Sarah and T takes you to the main stage of the recent VRM Intel Women's Summit in New Orleans.   The keynote speaker for the event was Amber Hurdle, and her message is important for all of us to hear.  Find out what bold, unwavering and confident women in business are thinking, how personal and professional branding are important to all, and find out who the "OG" (Original Gangster) of the Grand Ole Opry is.  Amber knows!   This is a GREAT episode.

Join us for our 1st live guest interview , Amber “the Velvet Machete” Hurdle to dive into finding your personal power and how being outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens. From her days with Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Attractions to her award-winning talent optimization firm, we uncover the strategies and moments that gave Amber the voice to be a powerhouse businesswoman and helped her to create the Velvet Machete Brand Strategy. This engaging chat is a sneak peek into her upcoming Key-Note presentation at the VRMIntel Women's Summit in New Orleans December 1 & 2. www.VacationRentalWomen.com To find out more about Amber Hurdle, check out:VelvetMacheteLeadership.comAmberHurdle.comCONTACT ALEX & ANNIEAlexandAnniePodcast.comLinkedIn | Facebook | InstagramAlex Husner - LinkedinAnnie Holcombe - LinkedinPodcast Sponsored by Condo-World and Lexicon Travel

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Jeremy Torisk of Torisk Pro Advisors about acting at the speed of instruction. Adversity is nothing new to Jeremy, who has swung from the extremes of being homeless to recently selling his share of a very successful Telco Construction company after 30 years of extreme ups and downs in the Telco industry. He's now a professional speaker, author of Labor To Leadership, business advisor, and leadership coach.  Jeremy says the only thing that can stop us is the six inches of real estate between our ears  In this episode, Amber and Jeremy discuss: * How to change our mindset from reactive to proactive  * The difference between motivation and drive, and why it matters * Developing our drive by examining our WHYs  * How to build our brand by building personal relationships first  This powerful episode is packed with wisdom that will leave you wanting to redefine and focus on your why so you can tap into your drive and overcome any adversity that comes your way. Don't miss Jeremy's insights into overcoming life's challenges, building authentic relationships, building a proactive mindset, and more! If you've encountered adversity in your life and career--which most of us have--then you'll want to give this a listen. Links and Mentioned Resources  Stoic Meditations: Marcus Aurelius Complete Works 1 Atomic Habits by James Clear Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins Check out Jeremy's podcast, The Go ProCast, on YouTube here. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and schedule a 15-minute get-to-know-you chat here. For a free, listener-exclusive copy of his book, Labor To Leadership, click here.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Jeremy Jeremy Torisk, of Torisk Pro Advisors, is a professional speaker, business advisor, leadership coach, and author of Labor to Leadership. His mission is to help as many people as possible to adapt a PRO Attitude, change their PROspective, and PROduce amazing results through defining, pursuing, and reaching their business and personal goals. Jeremy is the father of four well-adjusted, driven kids and is married to an amazing real estate queen, Christie. Get Social:  Website | Book | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Calendly Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Sharon Grosch, a licensed clinical therapist. Sharon is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, a therapeutic modality used in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. She has extensive experience in both psychiatric hospital counseling and private practice, and has been in practice since 2002.  Sharon is on Amber's recommended resources list for members of the Velvet Machete® Leadership Academy, as well as Amber's monthly membership, the Velvet Machete® Leadership Society. Together they discuss:  * Trauma (both “big T” and “little T,” and how to define each) * How trauma impacts us as adult professionals pursuing the lives we want to step into * Why it's critical to break out of victim mentality and learn how to fill our own cup * The importance of therapy and mental health care for all, regardless of our background, status, or future goals * Breaking cycles of codependency and knowing when to step away from someone who doesn't want help * Basic guidance for finding and working with a therapist who is right for you This episode will make you uncomfortable in the best way, and it's such a value-packed listen. Don't miss the wisdom Sharon brings to the table regarding therapy, trauma, and the importance of caring for your mental health, no matter where you are in your life. You'll walk away with crucial knowledge for seeking out and connecting with a therapist who can not only help you process the trauma in your life, but help you take the next step toward your goals and the life you're ready to embrace. Links and Mentioned Resources Learn more about Sharon's therapy practice at Grosch Counseling or connect with her on LinkedIn.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Sharon Sharon Grosch is a licensed clinical therapist certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, a therapeutic modality that addresses PTSD and trauma. With a rich background in both psychiatric hospital counseling and private practice, Sharon brings a wealth of experience, compassion, and understanding to her clients. She previously served as the Director of Mental Health for the Corizon Healthcare Corporation, before opening her independent practice, Grosch Counseling.  In addition to her therapy practice, Sharon is a published author, community servant, wife, mother, and grandmother. She received her Masters Degree in Counseling from the University of Tennessee and has served the Wilson County area since 2002.  Get Social:  Website | Facebook | LinkedIn Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Tiffany Terczak, creator of Grocery Budget Bootcamp and Don't Waste the Crumbs, a blog that teaches families how to eat real food on a budget.  Amber believes in fueling your body with premium fuel and managing the time and money you spend on your nutrition to perform at your peak and optimize your ability to lead. As a wife and mom who learned how to get out of debt and eat healthier, Tiffany is passionate about sharing meal plans, recipes, instructions on grocery budgeting, and tips for DIY natural living with individuals and families looking to reduce their spending on food while raising the quality of their meals. Together they discuss:  *How to make quick meals with real, nourishing food--on a budget *How to get out of debt and eat healthier at the same time *Tips for reducing your grocery budget, even on all-natural and organic foods *Kitchen hacks, frugal recipes, saving money, and much more This episode teaches the basics of building a grocery budget around better food that your body and you wallet will love. Don't miss Tiffany's experienced insights into budgeting, cooking, and shopping for the best deals on real, healthy, natural foods! She shares such valuable information, you'll definitely want to come back to this one again and again. Links and Mentioned Resources  Check out Tiffany's website, Don't Waste the Crumbs, for shopping and cooking tips, tricks, and know-how that will have you both saving money and eating healthier. Or, sign up for her course, Grocery Budget Bootcamp, for a deep dive into the exact methods that helped Tiffany and her husband not only eat healthier on a budget, but pay off over $100,000 in debt, too.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Tiffany  Tiffany Terczak is a wife, mom of two, and the creator of Don't Waste the Crumbs, a robust blog that provides free recipes, budgeting tips, meal plans, kitchen hacks, and tips for natural living. She's a mom who learned both how to eat healthier and get out of debt at the same time, and she's committed to sharing what she's learned over the years with other individuals and families looking to take the pain out of their budgets, grocery shopping, and planning truly healthy meals that nourish their bodies. Tiffany is also the founder of the forthcoming Crumbs University and the Grocery Budget Bootcamp course, a deep dive into the exact budgeting, shopping, and meal planning tips and tricks she uses for her own family.  Get Social: Website | Course | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter  Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that before an average person speaks a single word they send over 250,000 messages? It's the crazy truth!  Interested in learning more about performance-driven neurology, then you'll want to experience my guest Larry Olsen as he shares: What percentage of your performance is driven by attitude. How our subconscious shapes our attitudes. How to overcome allowing our attitudes to inform our decisions. How to develop the awareness to replace old attitudes and beliefs. How to “get a vision and live it.” A whole bunch of nerdy brain stuff that explains WHY we do what we do and how to do it better. And so much more! Links and Mentioned Resources  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free personal development advice for powerful leaders..  About Larry International speaker, author, and executive coach, Larry Olsen, has years of experience working with Fortune 50 companies, championship teams, and entrepreneurs on establishing their vision and sense of purpose. Larry understands that perception is truth, and his innate ability to customize his approach for each client's success truly sets him apart. Every person is different, and Larry's approach has proven that success happens when we team up with someone who listens, discovers what makes us unique, and shows us how to unleash our own greatness. Larry is passionate about providing individuals and teams quick, actionable guidance on how to break ingrained, ineffective habits that they did not even know were holding them back. His company Aperneo's approach to professional development balances common sense, practical neuroscience, and personal accountability, enabling clients to gain insights and perspectives to live, work, and engage with more success. In addition to working with companies, athletes, and entrepreneurs, Larry is a sought-after speaker, podcast host, and the author of Get a Vision and Live It, which provides insight into how to easily adjust our thinking to get the results we want. Get Social: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the 12th episode of the Disruptors Network podcast. Amber Hurdle helps leaders confidently define and position their value so they can maximize their influence, focus, and results. As a dynamic professional speaker and CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award-winning talent optimization firm, and founder of the Velvet Machete Leadership Society, she pioneers using both science and marketing principles to strengthen brands and leaders from the inside out. We discuss branding, Amber's career, and what's to come.

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Joseph Fung, serial entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of Uvaro, a tech sales career accelerator and sales enablement platform purpose-built to provide sales teams with the information that they need, when they need it. Joseph speaks frequently on the topics of sales, leadership, diversity, and corporate social responsibility. Together they discuss:  *Diversity and culture in tech company cultures  *Having hard conversations in your company versus taking a public activist stance on social issues *Being a compassionate leader to identify and heal pain in your organization  *Building more diverse teams for better business results and better decision making  *Getting comfortable in discomfort in order to develop more empathy as a leader  This episode is a valuable deep dive into how compassion and empathy in leadership help us to identify and heal pain within our organizations. Don't miss Joseph's expertise on workplace diversity and culture, compassionate leadership, and building more diverse teams for greater success! Joseph is a true gem in the leadership world, so you'll want to hear what he has to say.  Links and Mentioned Resources Check out Joseph's company, Uvaro, or connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Read the articles Joseph mentioned in this episode here: How Inclusive Is Your Leadership; Hey CEOs, Now Isn't the Time to Stick Your Head in the Sand.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Joseph Joseph Fung is a serial entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of Uvaro, a tech sales career accelerator and sales enablement platform purpose-built to provide sales teams with the information that they need, when they need it. He is a repeat founder and CEO, with multiple successful sales exits. Joseph speaks frequently on the topics of sales, leadership, diversity, and corporate social responsibility. As an active early-stage investor, he ensures that the majority of his investments are into women-led companies so we love him extra for that. Joseph is a graduate of the University of Waterloo's computer engineering program, and he sits on the board of Communitech, the Golden Triangle Angel Network, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.  Get Social: Uvaro | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Forbes Councils Profile Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Victoria Kennedy, CEO of Victorious PR, a media agency that helps entrepreneurs and real estate brokerages, among others, get featured in industry-specific publications, local press, podcasts, and top publications to be seen as industry leaders in their fields. Victoria has been featured in over 200 publications, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, TV and radio stations, and the TEDx stage. Together they discuss:  *Victoria's definition of personal branding and what effective personal branding means for business *Hiccups and pitfalls business owners and executives encounter when working on their PR or personal brand *The importance of becoming the number one authority in your niche *Victoria's recommendations for PR DIY-ers *How to position yourself for greater authority in your career, even if you don't own a business This episode will get any business owner or executive jump-started on the importance of building niche authority and presenting themselves to the world as an expert in their field. Don't miss Victoria's insights into personal branding, public relations, niche authority, and establishing yourself as a go-to thought leader in your area of expertise! Victoria contains a wealth of wisdom, so you'll want to hold onto this episode for future reference.  Links and Mentioned Resources  Visit Victoria online at her website, learn more about Victorious PR, or connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Victoria  Victoria Kennedy is the CEO of Victorious PR, a media agency that helps Entrepreneurs and Real Estate Brokerages (among others) get featured in industry-specific publications, local press, podcasts, and top publications to be seen as Industry Leaders in their fields. Victoria has been featured in over 200 publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, TV & radio stations, and the TEDx stage. Get Social: Website | Victorious PR | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Howard Tiersky, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Winning Digital Customers and founder of FROM, The Digital Transformation Agency and Innovation Loft. Howard teaches leaders that achieving customer love is the single most important criteria for business success, and that we can measure a brand's level of customer love with a single question. Together they discuss:  *The important components brands with high love consistently have *How to differentiate between “customer love” and loyalty (hint: they're not the same!) *The exact 3-part formula for achieving customer love  *A proven, 5-part transformation process brands can use to improve their fulfillment of the love formula  This episode will teach you the transformative process your brand can implement to achieve customer love. Don't miss Howard's expertise on the exact steps brands should be taking in order to make their customers fall in love over and over again! He shares tips on understanding your customer, mapping the customer journey, building the future, optimizing the short-term, and leading the change. You'll want to revisit this wisdom, so don't miss it.  Links and Mentioned Resources  Visit Howard's website to download a free chapter from his book, Winning Digital Customers. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Howard  Howard Tiersky is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance. Howard is the founder of two companies that enable large brands to win in the digital world: FROM, The Digital Transformation Agency and Innovation Loft. Among his dozens of Fortune 1000 clients are Verizon, NBC, Universal Studios, JPMC, Morgan Stanley, the NBA, and Visa. Get Social: Free Book Chapter | LinkedIn | Twitter Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Downloadable Worksheet Graphic (569 x 214)-Link to Convertkit Opt-In Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Emily Chang, a seasoned executive who has worked with some of the world's most recognizable companies, and the author of The Spare Room: Define Your Social Legacy to Live a More Intentional Life and Lead with Authentic Purpose. Emily has found that living into her Social Legacy has not only deeply enriched her home life, it has also enabled her to become a more authentic and relatable leader in the workplace. Together they discuss:  *The definition and significance of a Social Legacy *The 16 young people Emily and her family have cared for through their spare room over the years *How this ongoing way of life has impacted her as a leader *How others can find their path to their own “spare room”  This episode challenges us to open our hearts through service to others and the Social Legacy we wish to leave behind. Don't miss Emily's insights into leadership, impact, and living with intention! She shares her own experiences through service to others, and encourages leaders to identify their unique Social Legacy and lead with authentic purpose. Don't miss this one.  Links and Mentioned Resources  Visit Emily's website, social-legacy.com, to take a deeper dive into her story, listen to her TEDx Talk, or grab your copy of her book, The Spare Room. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Emily  Emily Chang is a seasoned executive who has worked with some of the world's most renowned companies like Procter & Gamble, Apple, and Starbucks. Over the last twenty-one years, her job has brought her and her family to eight different homes across the U.S and China. And everywhere she's lived, Emily has found herself at the unique intersection of her Offer and Offense. Life has served up young people who have been abused, neglected or marginalized, to find sanctuary in her spare room. Among her deeply personal accounts, Emily shares heart-wrenching stories of an emotionally abused child bride, a dying eighteen-month old boy born with hydrocephalus, and the abused daughter of a local prostitute. Now more than ever, social purpose has become an urgent leadership imperative. Emily's book, The Spare Room will help you identify your Social Legacy to live a more intentional life and lead with authentic purpose. Get Social: Website | Book | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are people in your office saying about you when you're not in the room? Your personal brand is everything that people think about you, say about you, and expect from you, so it is essential that you know how to present your very best. Whether you're networking within your company or convincing your boss to get on board with your great idea, promoting yourself is a critical part of your successful career. To help you get started on refining your personal brand, on this episode of the Digital Enterprise Society podcast, Thom Singer is joined by Amber Hurdle, CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting. They discuss the importance of quality brands, how you can better promote yourself and work, and how you can better communicate inside your company and manage the time you have with your supervisor so that you can excel.    On today's podcast, you will learn: The importance of quality employer — and personal — brands  Forward-thinking companies have started greatly focusing on their brand. Company brand plays a key role in both recruiting and employee retention. When companies take care of their people, their people take care of their customers.  Employees have the ability to complain or praise their employers like never before with social media platforms.  Similarly, personal brands are a critical component of a successful career.    3 steps to promoting yourself within your company First, clearly define your values. Articulate what you do to bring value to your team. Next, improve your sales skills. You can only get what you want by selling it to others.  Finally, define the ‘WIIFM' — What's In It For Me?' whenever you are promoting anything. Alternately, identify ways that your proposal will help eliminate your boss's fears.    Fine-tuning your PR skills Position yourself as a key player in your company's communication cycle.  Networking within your company is just as critical as external networking.  Positioning the value you offer is refining your personal brand.  The projects you ask for, how you show up in meetings, and how you interact with colleagues is all part of your personal brand, so make sure you are acting intentionally.   Define your target audience and shape your message directly to them.    Key aspects of a well-defined personal brand  Develop a self-awareness that allows you to focus on the greatness in others.  Address the contrast between you and others so that you can tailor your message in a way that suits them.  Stay true to your brand while recognizing and working with the differences in others.  Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at www.DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.   Digital Download: Virtual Round-Table Series

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Jake Jacobs, founder of Jake Jacobs Consulting and author of Leverage Change: 27 Ways to Achieve Faster, Easier, Better Results...Immediately. James helps people and organizations through the change process and the problems they encounter along the way. With the right tools, any person or organization can make a successful change. Together they discuss:  *Some of the most common problems organizations and people encounter when making changes *The 8 strategic actions, or levers, any organization can put into place to affect any change *How to engage in effective change work that prepares you and your organization for the future  *Our recent experience facing and embracing the changes brought on by COVID-19  This episode takes a deep dive into organizational change and exactly what it takes to make it happen. Don't miss Jake's 35+ years of wisdom and insight into the issues organizations face before, during, and after change, and how to overcome these issues while successfully transforming! He shares valuable insights into leading through change, so you won't want to miss this episode. Links and Mentioned Resources  Visit Jake's website, Jake Jacobs Consulting, to learn more about his services, or take a look at his book, Leverage Change. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.  -- Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Jake  Jake Jacobs supports people who lead change work, and are frustrated when the results they achieve are too difficult, slow, or disappointing. He has distilled his 35 years of consulting experience into 8 strategic actions, or levers, that he has developed across the most common problems people and organizations encounter when trying to successfully make changes. These levers, outlined in his new book, Leverage Change: 27 Ways to Achieve Faster, Easier, Better Results...Immediately, can be used by anyone, in any organization, for any change.  Get Social:  Website | Book | LinkedIn | Twitter  Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to the podcast: Be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcasting app. Prefer to watch? Subscribe on YouTube. Or simply ask Amazon Alexa, "Play Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle." Easy. *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers.

In this episode of the Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast, host Amber Hurdle interviews Chris Kneeland, CEO of Cult Collective, one of the premier engagement marketing firms in North America. Chris helps courageous brand leaders embrace the proven marketing principles “cult-like” brands use to become and remain iconic household names. Together they discuss: *Why brands should never separate their culture and marketing conversations *The major differences between an average brand and a cult brand *How to get brand leaders to buy in to marketing principles that work for cult-like brands *Tips for amplifying cult brands for lasting impact and influence  This episode is a deep dive into the workings of cult-like brands, and what it takes for an “average” brand to elevate itself to cult status. Don’t miss Chris’s expert insights into branding, marketing, and brand leadership! You’ll want to keep this episode on hand for the future--it’s just that value-packed.  Links and Mentioned Resources  Explore Chris’s book, FIX, plus its accompanying webinar and workshop.   Register for the Cult Gathering The Gathering is a Forbes top-rated business summit and a master class for brand and business leaders looking to reap the benefits of a cult-like adoration. Learn more about The Gathering of Cult Brands. Join Chris’s online network and community, Communo, which is free for businesses, agencies, and freelancers.  Follow @thevelvetmachete on Instagram for inspiration and free business advice.  About Chris  Chris Kneeland, co-founder and CEO of Cult Collective, is passionate about helping brands grow exponentially through re-envisioning how they engage with both their customers and their employees. He partners with courageous, forward-thinking brand leaders, guiding them to embrace the proven marketing principles exhibited by iconic, household-name, “cult-like” brands. He is also co-founder and COO of Communo, co-founder and CCO of The Gathering of Cult Brands, and author of FIX.  Since its founding in 2010, Cult has gone on to become one of the premier engagement marketing firms in North America. Chris has consulted with brands such as Zappos, Best Buy, Harley Davidson, Carter’s, Keurig, United Way, HEB Grocery Stories, Canadian Tire, and many more. Chris is the former Head of Retail Marketing at RAPP, and held marketing roles at the global headquarters of The Home Depot and John Deere. He encourages brands to embrace brand engagement over entertainment and  customer advocacy over acquisition.  Get Social with Chris:  Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Want More of the Good Stuff? *Subscribe to podcast: The Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, or ask Alexa to “play The Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast with Amber Hurdle” *Read the book: The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble & other retailers.

Today's guest helps leaders confidently define and position their value so they can maximize their influence, focus and results. As a dynamic speaker and CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award-winning talent optimization firm, she pioneers using both science and marketing principles to strengthen brands and leaders from the inside out. You can learn more about Amber on her website amberhurdle.com. If you enjoy The Power Entrepreneur's Podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes. It helps the show more than you know!

By the end of this episode you're going to have some great tools to sharpen yourself up as a leader. Our guest Amber Hurdle specialises in helping leaders define their position and value to maximise results. Amber is CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award winning talent organisational firm that works with international celebrities and Fortune 100 companies. As well as having great professional experience, Amber is an excellent speaker. All of her advice is easy to understand - there are so many great takeaways. Whether you're an established leader or a wannabe leader, there'll be something here for you. Episode Highlights: Why you need a personal brand What leadership is all about The power of storytelling What quiet leaders are afraid of and how to work around it Thoughtful leadership How to be appropriately direct How to retain top talent in your company The biggest mistakes leaders make The danger of self-importance in a leader How the current climate has threatened the standard of leadership Why a leader's To-Do list is less important than you think How a leader can shape company culture to retain their top talent Extra Resources:  Do Amber's leadership quiz at: http://www.amberhurdle.com/leadershipquiz Amber Hurlde on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to their Fascinate Test reports, Kay Suarez and Donna Feyen are both Maestros. Yet, Amber Hurdle shows these friends and colleagues how they are different and how they uniquely create value during this live coaching session. Tune in to learn how to go deeper than the surface in personality assessments, and see if you can figure out how you fascinate! Links and Mentioned Resources: Take the Fascinate Test here to learn how the world sees you at best: https://ea106.isrefer.com/go/FAA/amberhurdle/ To discuss bringing the How to Fascinate system to your organization, VISIT MY SITE. To learn more about the awesome Sally Hogshead visit https://sallyhogshead.com/. To subscribe to our newsletter and never miss an episode and stay up to date with the latest visit https://amberhurdle.com/newsletter/. To book a discovery call to find out (with no pressure) if I’m the right personal branding, leadership, or business branding coach for you, visit https://velvetmacheteleadership.com/coaching/. *Some of these links may be affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission, but does not change your cost, nor does it sway my full endorsement of the resource. About Our Guests Kay Lynn Suarez is a passionate IT Consultant, life coach, and speaker. Throughout her multifaceted career, she has shared her entrepreneurial can-do attitude and highly effective management style to promote a shared vision and build positive working relationships.  Kay is known for transforming complexity into elements that can be evaluated, organized, and optimized or eliminated.   Her side hustle has earned her the reputation as a high-level real estate investor and design specialist with the innate ability to create warm and welcoming spaces. She is the co-founder of Best US Investment, LLC, where she creates wonderful spaces for families to live, love, and make memories with their children and grandchildren. To find out more, visit: Best US Investment, LLC  Website : www.bestusinvestment.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestUSInvestment/ Eve’s Serene Sanctuary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evesrestoreyoursoul/ -- Donna Feyen is the founder of More Than A Review, a book review site with content ratings. Her side hustle provides in-depth book reviews while also including a detailed “grading” system to provide readers upfront knowledge about the content of books they choose to read. Since 2012 she’s nurtured a community that rallies around a shared passion for reading books that are high quality, with clean content. Donna and her husband, Ray, live in Northwest Arkansas with their three black Labrador retrievers. She is a reader, a runner, and loves music. To find out more, visit: More Than a Review Website https://morethanareview.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/morethanareview/  

In episode 36, Amber Hurdle tells us why personality assessments and self-awareness make us better leaders. Amber Hurdle is a leadership and personal branding consultant who is also the mind behind the Velvet Machete – a globally recognized, eight-week leadership program that helps leaders define & position their value. Amber has years of experience in the hospitality and construction industry, working with companies such as Fedex and Marriott International. She is also the author of The Bombshell Business Woman – a book about management, networking, and goal setting. In today’s episode, Amber unravels the meaning and strategy behind her signature Velvet Machette approach to coaching. She also shares how personality assessments can help leaders discover our strengths and weaknesses – so we can understand what areas to focus on. Tune in to learn why Amber prefers to bubble wrap people’s weaknesses.

Bill Flynn is the Chief Catalyst at Catalyst Growth Advisors; he's a coach, mentor and author of the number one Amazon bestselling book, Further Faster. In this, our special 50th Episode, you can learn about: Why creating a compelling vision allows others to follow Why some businesses succeed while others fail How the biggest reason for failure is success Neuroleadership is a critical skill for 21st century leaders Join our Tribe at https://leadership-hacker.com Music: " Upbeat Party " by Scott Holmes courtesy of the Free Music Archive FMA Transcript: Thanks to Jermaine Pinto at JRP Transcribing for being our Partner. Contact Jermaine via LinkedIn or via his site JRP Transcribing Services Find out more about Bill Flynn below: Catalyst Growth Advisors Website - www.catalystgrowthadvisors.com Further Faster (Book) Bill on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/billflynnpublic/ Bill on Twitter – https://twitter.com/whfjr   Full Transcript Below ----more---- Steve Rush: Some call me Steve, dad, husband or friend. Others might call me boss, coach or mentor. Today you can call me The Leadership Hacker.   Thanks for listening in. I really appreciate it. My job as the leadership hacker is to hack into the minds, experiences, habits and learning of great leaders, C-Suite executives, authors and development experts so that I can assist you developing your understanding and awareness of leadership. I am Steve Rush and I am your host today. I am the author of Leadership Cake. I am a transformation consultant and leadership coach. I cannot wait to start sharing all things leadership with you.   Welcome to our 50th episode. I can't believe that we're already halfway to a century of Leadership Hacker Podcast, so thank you everybody who's been part of that. So, Bill Flynn is our special guest on episode 50, he's the chief catalyst at Catalyst Growth Advisors. He's over 30 years' experience working with hundreds of different companies, including lots of start-ups. But before we get a chance to speak with Bill, it's not The Leadership Hacker News. Instead, today we're going to do something a little bit different. I'm going to introduce you to Jermaine Pinto from our production team. And Jermaine has been absolutely inspirational to help us on our journey with the 50 episodes. So, hey Jermaine, say hello to our listeners.   Jermaine Pinto: Good day listeners. Nice to meet you all. I'm really excited, and Steve congratulations on that 50 episodes.   Steve Rush: Thank you, my man, I really appreciate it. And for those of you that are not familiar with Jermaine's accent, he's in Jamaica and that's the wonders of the remote world that we work in. We can have remote team working all over the place. So, Jermaine, I just wanted to say from my perspective and behalf of the listers, thank you for being part of our team on this journey. And over the course of our 50 episodes, there must be a few of those episodes that really ring a bell. And there must be some learning as I've had out of this. But from your perspective, what would you say has been the best part of being involved in the journey that we've been on?   Jermaine Pinto: Always hearing the guest stories, their background stories. Those are always interesting; those are always motivating. Especially some who have start from basically nothing and build their way up. Some who have accomplished a lot and still manage to start all over, no matter the age, that is always great to hear.   Steve Rush: Yeah, the backstory is really fascinated me because there's been no two guests, right? That have the same backstory.   Jermaine Pinto: Exactly.   Steve Rush: They come from different backgrounds, different experiences, and they all bring great learning and inspiration to others to get on that journey too, right?   Jermaine Pinto: Yes, correct.   Steve Rush: So, who of the 50 shows has been the most inspirational for you?   Jermaine Pinto: I have two right here, Steve. And before I introduce the second one, my first one who be, you Steve.   Steve Rush: Aww, Jermaine, you're such a softy. Thank you so much.   Jermaine Pinto: Steve I have to say thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your team. It was actually March 3rd 2020.   Steve Rush: Yeah.   Jermaine Pinto: You reach out to me to do episode two with David Marquet.   Steve Rush: Yeah.   Jermaine Pinto: Yeah, and that was an amazing episode. And since then, I have been on this journey with you, and now it's 50-episode, wow! that's amazing.   Steve Rush: It is, yeah. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that man. Jermaine Pinto: You are welcome. And the second one will have to be Michelle Boxx, The Blonde Fixer. She is just so vibrant. She's is just so cool, energetic. And I just love her. Steve Rush: Yeah, good.   Jermaine Pinto: Yeah, so what about you Steve?   Steve Rush: Wow. You know, like you Jermaine, I try to find two or three people out of the over 50 guests that we've had on the show. Really tough, right? But there are three that really stick out for me. So, I guess in order of episodes, episode 29, a good friend, Eric Chasen, you know, this is a guy who lost his fiancé, tragically. Subsequently his mum passed away all the while his businesses were collapsing around him, but managed to find that, you know, real grit, resilience, and determination and get back not only to be successful, but to be a millionaire and retire incredibly early. That was a great, great inspirational story. Amber Hurdle, episode 40. Teen mum to superstar business woman and podcaster herself. Another great inspiration for anybody who listened to that. And I guess the one that really kind of moved me emotion actually was Nathanael Zurbruegg.   Jermaine Pinto: Agree.   Steve Rush: He was on episode 30, right? So, this is a guy who has suffered much more than most of us would suffer. You know, he was told by his practitioners, he should have been dead six times over and still to this day, whilst he still suffers with chronic illnesses, still inspires and works and inspires others to change their lives. And I think, wow, what a great guy. And that's all, you know, coming from a place of helping others. And I think that's just amazing.   Jermaine Pinto: Yeah, you're right Steve and I can tell the listeners that I'm actually one of the biggest fan, of the show. I look forward to hearing these stories every week. Most episodes I will listen to treat the three to four times to be honest.   Steve Rush: Yeah. And, you know, fortunately we get to hear all of these stories before our listeners do. So, we're in a really privileged position to get all that.   Jermaine Pinto: That's always a plus.   Steve Rush: Yeah, so if you think about how many hacks we've had on the show, we've had hundreds and hundreds of fabulous ideas and tips and tools and inspiration. If you had to kind of maybe think of one or two that resonate with you the most Jermaine, what would they be? Jermaine Pinto: I actually have three and I'm going back to my favourite person again, Michelle Boxx, The Blonde Fixer. When she said facilitate feedback from your teammate. She is one hundred, spot on with that one. We can all relate to that. The second one would be from episode 9, John Spence.   Steve Rush: Yeah.   Jermaine Pinto: When he said lead with your gut, you can never go wrong with that.   Steve Rush: Absolutely, and John was another inspirational guest too. Wasn't he? This is a guy who reads over a hundred books a year and has done for 20 years.   Jermaine Pinto: Honestly Steve, I was blown away by that. A hundred books, I'm like, wow!   Steve Rush: Yeah.   Jermaine Pinto: This guy's on top of his game.   Steve Rush: Sure thing.   Jermaine Pinto: And the last one it'd be from Ira Wolfe from episode 49, growth mindset. Throughout the almost 50 episodes, mindset was one thing that was always said by most guests.   Steve Rush: Yeah   Jermaine Pinto: Mr. Wolfe expound on that and try new things. Don't be afraid to fail or make mistake, and he is absolutely right by that.   Steve Rush: Yeah, I agree.   Jermaine Pinto: And so, Steve, I know you pretty much have a lot of hacks, so what would be your, maybe best three?   Steve Rush: So, I've gone back over my notes and I've gone back over the show notes. And there were three things, actually the present themselves where they keep repeating from many guest's time and again. Then they're also things that I share. So, I guess the first thing is journaling presents itself a lot, doesn't it? So, you know, taking that time in the morning and night to really set out what your plans are for the day, how you can be thoughtful, how you can demonstrate gratitude and self-love, and self-worth that presents self a lot. Meditation, you know, is interesting, that keeps coming up. And it's something that I do every morning. So, I meditate every single morning before I look at emails, before I look at work before, look at anything. And that's now a core habit of mine. That is a key tenant in how I do things. A lot of our guests share meditation as a way to get into that zone. And the other thing that presents itself is mentoring. All the while we've been speaking to our guests, having a good mentor, having somebody they can rely on. Having somebody that they can kick the leaves around with is a real core attribute of all of our guests and anybody who's been successful. And I guess those are three things that really present themselves to me.   Jermaine Pinto: And I would agree, especially the last one there Steve, Mentoring. I have never had a mentor, till you could see now, which is again, use Steve. Those one-on-one meetings that we have, where I would bounce ideas off of you. It's really great to have someone that you can share with and you can also get their experience.   Steve Rush: You're right, your absolutely right. So, Jermaine, thanks for being on the show. Thanks for being part of our journey and behind the scenes and not often getting the recognition, I think you deserve. And hopefully our listeners will listen to this and connect with you through LinkedIn and your other mediums as well. So, cheers to the next 50, right?   Jermaine Pinto: And let's say here to a next thousand.   Steve Rush: Wow, yeah, why not? Absolutely. Let's think big.   Jermaine Pinto: That's how big we are going with this one.   Steve Rush: You're right. Okay, so let's get back to the show. This hasn't been The Leadership Hacker News, but of course, as always, if you do have an insights, news or stories you think our guests could hear, let's get in touch with either me or Jermaine my man.   Start of Podcast Steve Rush: Our special guest on today's show is Bill Flynn. He's the chief catalyst at Catalyst Growth Advisors. He's a coach, mentor and author of the number one, Amazon bestselling book, Further, Faster. Bill, welcome to the show.   Bill Flynn: Hey Steve, great to be here. You know, they say good things come to those who wait. So, it's good to finally make this happen.   Steve Rush: Our listeners won't know that you and I have been waiting for probably four or five months, to get a hook-up and get together having spoken originally. So, looking forward to having a great conversation with you today, but for those that don't know your backstory, maybe just give us a little summary as to how you've arrived at leading Catalyst Advisors.   Bill Flynn: Sure, I'll do the quick version. So, I sort of had two arcs to my career if you will. I'm a start-up guy, early on. I'm not a founder, but I'm generally the person who comes in and helps on the scaling side. So sales marketing, that kind of stuff. I did 10 of those from 1991 through about 2015. And depending on how you count my contribution, I'm either 5 for 10 or 5 for 7 because there were 3, I left. Either they went out of business or actually I think all of them went out of business or got acquired by someone else. And then around 2015, I sort of said, what do I want to do? I had an opportunity to really reflect a little bit, I think I was just in my early fifties and I had an experienced at one of the start-ups that allowed me to basically become a coach, not knowing it at the time, of course, because I wasn't smart enough to know what I was doing.   Steve Rush: Right.   Bill Flynn: But I really remembered that experience. And I kind of said, how do I get more of that? I wanted that feeling of really being able to teach people how to fish, so to speak. So, I looked around, I looked at, I don't know, six or seven different kinds of methodologies if you will. And I had sort of made my own in that experience that I mentioned earlier, I didn't really have the confidence in, so I've never really been a CEO or a Founder. I wanted to have something that I could feel sort of backstopped me and my credibility. So, I picked one out of all the things that I looked at and began doing that around middle 2016. It's really when I go through certification and all that kind of stuff and learning and such.   And I've been a coach for four or five years, what do I do as a coach? I'm a leadership team coach. I don't do executive coaching necessarily, although it sort of is an off shoot of what I do. And what that means is I teach this framework, which I've modified a little bit from my experience and my research, but basically, it's a framework on three things, which we'll get into a little bit on my book of how to really build a healthy and thriving organization. There is a way to do it and it's been done over and over and over again, yet, most people don't know how to do it. We, do it differently and the stats show that the way we do it isn't necessarily the best way to do it. So, I'm about teaching people how to do that. So that's sort of my backstory.   Steve Rush: Awesome, and given the environment that we've been in over the last 12 months or so, how have you seen the role as leaders and teams change from your perspective?   Bill Flynn: I don't think they've changed that much, at least on how you should be a good leader. And we should probably describe leader because people have different definitions of leader. To me, a leader is someone who has followers more than anything. It's doesn't' necessarily mean you're in a position of authority because that's different. You can have authority and not be a leader. Leadership is, I'm a big fan of Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall a bunch of other folks. I'm a bit of a contrarian. I don't actually don't think leadership is a thing. I know it's a $15 billion dollar industry around the world, but there's no real definition of leadership, that's the same. Everyone has their own version.   Steve Rush: I agree.   Bill Flynn: But the thing that I've found, two or three things that I found that permeate and really flow through all of those things. One is what I mentioned is if you're a leader, you have followers and followership is really, I think the thing and followership is something that is voluntary, it's given. You, can't say, I'm your leader. People have to say, you're my leader. I choose you to be my leader. I choose to follow you. So, you have to give them a vision, a compelling vision, right? Because if you want to have someone follow you, you have to say, here's where we're going. Follow me here. And then lastly, I think you have to have courage. And that's the only attribute that, you know, they say humility and integrity and charisma and all this stuff. And, you know, I looked at that stuff and it's really different across leaders. You know, Gates is different than Malali is different than Jobs is different than Ballmer is different than the Della. They're all different.   You know, Buffet is a different kind of leader, but they're leaders, people follow them for some reason. But I think you have to have courage. You have to courage to be able to give up, right? make it about them and not you and risk some of that. You also have to have courage to follow that vision. A lot of people are going to tell you your vision isn't right. You have to have courage to do that. There's a lot of things you have to do. So, I think those three things really make the leader. So, if you do that as a leader, then I don't think it matters much except the platform that you have on how you use it. If you communicate well and you make it about them, and you care about these folks and you and I talked previously about really great leaders in the pandemic and what have they done, they made it about the other people. They said, look, I don't know everything. I'm going to gather information. But we're going to keep you informed. I'm going to make it so simple for you to understand. I'm going to tell you where we're headed and I'm going to ask you to sort of follow along. And those that did a really good job at that did a much better job so far in controlling the virus with COVID-19 and those people who didn't do that, or aren't doing that, we're noticing it. And we're now saying, wow, you're not really as good a leader as we thought you were because we're in trouble and we've got stark differences across the world on who's doing good job and who's not. So, I think that's what's changed, meaning we've seen it. But I think those that are really good leaders haven't changed their style at all. They've been doing the same thing. It's now noticed that it's more effective.   Steve Rush: And like you, I think leadership is a behaviour, It's not a thing, It's not a job. It's just,  the way that you behave to encourage people around you to feel that safety and that courage to come on a journey with you. If we think about those organizations that will survive for the future versus those that weren't, what do you think the main reasons will be between the two?   Bill Flynn: Cash, I mean, that's really been apparent is that those people who have really understood how to generate cash or have cash in reserve, have been able to do things. Because if you have that, you know, cash is fuel. Most people I ask them sort of, you know, what's the purpose of business and they all make it about money. And I said, really, it's not really about money, is it? I mean, cash is fuel for your business, but your business should be about something else and you need the money to fuel the thing, right? You know, we don't buy cars in order to buy fuel. You know, we don't get a house in order to heat it, you know, and have electricity or whatever. It has a larger purpose, and I think too many leaders and runners of companies focus much more on that.   So, I think, you know, the ones that can come out of this really, of course, are solving a problem worth solving. It's certainly, it's more of a crucible now, right? That we're focused on just a few things. Those that were doing it already, you know, the US stock market is driven by five companies right now, that's it. You know, we go up and down based on Apple, Google, Facebook, I missed one. And I think that's what we're seeing. If you weren't doing that, if you're not empathetic and compassionate for your customers and really understanding what their struggles are, then they're just not going to pay attention to you because they're pay attention to so many different things right now. So those two things, you got to have either access to cash or ways to generate cash. So, you can ride out this stuff. If you can't, then you have to be, I think compassionate, like Bob Chapman who runs, Barry Well Meyer who have several times, through to the 2008 crisis, you know, he lost 30% of his business, the entire group, and he could have laid people off and he never did, but he asked people to sacrifice for each other and they did. And they actually took things upon themselves. So, if you create that environment, that culture, that atmosphere, and you have the cash to be able to weather stuff like this, then you'll always be able, I shouldn't say you will always, you'll have a much, much better chance of being able to survive things like this. Cause this is, you know, this is horrible and it's different than the last two, but we've already had three crises like this in the last 20 years, right. We've had 9/11, especially in the US.   Steve Rush: Yeah   Bill Flynn: We've had 2008 and now we've had this, there's going to be another one. And statistics say every six to eight years, there'll be another downturn of some kind of some magnitude. You need to be prepared for. If you can do that, then you'll survive most things.   Steve Rush: What do you think the reason is Bill in your experience, that leaders don't put cash in that same category as other things that they would maybe plan for and think about?   Bill Flynn: Because we are enamoured growth, we were enamoured of top line growth. Revenue is vanity, and I'm sorry, but we are egotistic animals. And we like vanity, we like the social aspect and the emotional aspect of being seen as doing something important. And we measure and value revenue and revenue is vanity. You know, there's a great saying revenue is vanity, profit is sanity and cash is king, and that's true. I think revenue is great for bragging to your brother-in-law or telling a reporter how great you've done. But if you see revenue as the financial metric to measure your success, you're picking the wrong one, and that's what you do. And then you say, oh, we need to grow. So, we need to, we need to sort of take this risk with this money. A lot of the time it works out, but sometimes like this, it doesn't. And that's what you're seeing. Unfortunately, going out of business for completely unique to this pandemic, but many of them are going out of business because the light has been shown on them.   Steve Rush: Yep.   Bill Flynn: And we're seeing that they're just not very well-run companies underneath.   Steve Rush: So all of your learning and your career along with all of the start-ups and experiences you pulled together, you wrote the book Further, Faster. What was the inspiration for the book?   Bill Flynn: There were two things. There was an external inspiration, which were my coaching, colleagues and friends and my clients. When I say stuff, they'd look at me like it was different, right. They sort of said my perspective on things was unique to them. And I looked at it as, you know, my perspective isn't any different anyone else's, all the stuff that you and I do are based upon people that aren't alive anymore. You got Drucker and Deming and Shine and all these guys, and now we've got, of course Lencioni and Collins and Sinek. But we're just regurgitating the same stuff over and over again. There's not a lot new here. So, I was surprised, and I said, okay, well, that's interesting.   And the second was internal, which is. Having been through 10 start-ups and, you know, that's just almost masochistic, right? I just really found that it's a shame that really good people, really good leaders, really good businesses and really good ideas just fail or struggle for completely preventable reasons. There is a way to run a very healthy and thriving organization. There're some other factors involved, but it's been proven over and over again for decades, if not longer. And we just seem to ignore it. We go back to conventional wisdom and intuition and, you know, I'm all for intuition, but there's something called a gut check, right? It's fine, go with your gut, but check it, make sure it's right. And make sure that there's data supporting what you're doing, at least in terms of the fundamentals of running your business. We don't do that enough, data shows that there's two sets of data, at least in US, that I've seen. There are basically the same, one is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and one from The Small Business Administration. If you start a business in 1994, you had a 50% chance of making it to 1999, five years, 50%. It was like a flip of a coin. But if you made it to 15, there are only 25% of the people that did that. And if you want to get to 20 or 25, it's 16. So, the longer you're in business, the less likely it is that you're going to stay in business, which is just a shame. And I know people choose and they retire or opt out or whatever, but even if you took those out, I don't think that that curve would change that much. And I want to do my best to help at least a small corner of the world that I'm in to not have that happen to them.   Steve Rush: Do you think that's complacency that causes that curve to narrow towards the longer period of time?   Bill Flynn: There's a saying that one of the biggest reasons for failure is success. Is that, you know, you think because you were successful before that everything in the future that you do will be successful, and that's true. I've seen that, you know, this is called Fonda Riotous in the start-up world, and I've worked with lots of folks and yeah, they just sort of feel like they can do no wrong and trying to guess what a massive people value and will pay you for. And then also be able to run an organization of completely crazy people. You know, we're crazy, right? People are nuts, people are impulsive, we're irrational, we just are. So be able to do that over and over again. If you can do that over and over again, you're pretty rare. And thinking that just the way you did it before is going to happen again, is wrong because the mix is different. Every time the mix is different and you got to be able to work from first principles. I'm a first principles guy. If you can figure out your first principles and go from there, then you can sort of bob and weave and figure out as you go, how to apply those principles. And, and we don't do that. We put our head down and we work and we never look out, you know, we don't predict the future as much as we should. And I think that's one of the reasons why we just say, oh, well, I'm really good at this. And we get comfortable and we just keep making the decision. And we think because we're making all these decisions where the answer, man, that it's good and it's not, you know, I keep telling my leaders, you need to fire yourself from the day-to-day, that's your job. Once you get through that knothole of figuring out and have some predictability and scalability of your business, you need to get rid of all of your day-to-day work as much as you possibly can, because your job is to figure out the next two, three, four years, not the next couple of quarters.   Steve Rush: Yeah, in your book, you focus on this quite a bit around specifically the CEO or the boss; they must fire themselves from their day-to-day work. And it's a really interesting philosophy because I bumped into somebody just recently, who has been a start-up engine, if you like for about three or four different organizations, but never been the CEO, because they're just not great CEOs, but in the leadership space, what would be the reason you would encourage CEOs to think metaphorically around firing themselves?   Bill Flynn: Well, so here's the deal, right? If you're going to grow your business, you have to predict the future and predicting the future is about innovation and creation and insight. And so, I asked this question, I'll ask of you to view is when do you get your best ideas, Steve, what are you doing?   Steve Rush: Daydreaming, thinking, walking, at the gym, but not at work.   Bill Flynn: Not at work and actually, I would say, you're not actually thinking maybe you're different than most, but most people it's, they're not thinking. They're actually letting their brain rest.   Steve Rush: Right.   Bill Flynn: A little bit, and that's the walk or the shower I hear a lot, or I'm on a run, just doing something else. And then somehow this insight is called the edge effect in neuroscience, where all of a sudden, a couple of different things have been floating around in your brain connect. And they actually physically connect in your brain, which is just really cool, the whole biology of it, really cool for me. And you know, there's axon and neurons and dendrites, and they actually connect to each other. And then this idea comes into your head. It's just the coolest thing. And so, if you're doing all the time, you can't do that. Your brain can't focus on more than one thing at a time, multitasking is a myth. Most of us have learned that, right? It's called context switching, and you go from one to the other, and there's a whole issue around the degradation of that, which we won't get into. So, I think you need to fire yourself the day-to-day because you need to be able to have these thoughts that come to you and, so you need to gather information. You need to go out and talk to your customers a lot more. You need to sort of roam around the business and talk to people and learn from outsiders, have an advisory board and capture all this information. So, when that thing happens, that insight happens. You've collected all this data already, and then you start making these connections and that figures out, where's our business going? What is this thing going to look like in the next two, three, four years? And you can't do that doing.   I was a speaker at Investige for a number of years. And I asked hundreds of CEOs the same question, which was, what percentage of time do you spend working in the business versus working on the business? And I would say the majority of the answers was 80% to 90% in the business. And then to 20% on the business. And I said, look, if you're going to make sure that you're not guessing on a regular basis, you need to stop doing that. You need to flip that ratio. So, you're spending a lot more time working on things for the future, which your two most important constituencies, which are your best customers, not all your customers, but your best customers and your top team, right? You're A, B plus and B players. Those are the people you need to focus on the most. If you can do that, you'll put yourself in a much better position to be able to predict the future. You don't get it right every time, but we don't do that. We got our head down. As I say, we looked down, we don't look out as much. We need to look out a lot more.   Steve Rush: Got it. You've taken the thinking of neuroscience and applied that to your work. And it's something that we both share a passion in. What's commonly referred to as NeuroLeadership, for our listeners listening in today, maybe you could just describe what NeuroLeadership is?   Bill Flynn: Yeah, I'll say one thing, but there is this great quote by Chris Voss, who I love, he's written a couple of books and he says, “All humans should accept that we are all crazy, irrational, impulsive, emotionally driven animals, or all the raw intelligence and mathematical logic is fraught.” And when you have two people sort of interconnecting with all this irrationality and impulsivity and emotionally doing stuff, you know, you just have to understand that you have to know a little bit about how the brain works, because it doesn't work the way we think it does. It fools us on a regular basis. We have supposedly 150 unconscious biases that are broken down into five major categories, according to the NeuroLeadership Institute and its simplicity. So, we bias towards the simple, we'd rather have a simple explanation we think is better than a not simple.   Expediency, right? So, whatever it seems the fastest seems right. To us experience, we're much more likely to dismiss science because our experience is different. Even though our experience maybe an anomaly or certainly biased by our own needs and wants et cetera. The next is distance, we are biased to things that are more close to us than things that are far away and then there's safety, right? Which of course is a biological imperative. If we think we're going to die, we're much more likely to or be hurt in some way. We're much more likely to believe that. That's why there's a negativity bias. So, you need to, what's called lead with the brain in mind. If you understand that, then you'll understand that your job is to create the environment for people to use their brains, not to tell them what to do and take their brains out of the equation, because you can have, you know, if you have 200 people in your company and you can have 150 of them actually thinking for you and helping you to move the company forward, it's way better than what normally happens, which is a handful of you. And that's it. And then you tell everyone else what to do. Jim Collins calls this the genius with a thousand helpers. I think there's a great phrase. You can't do that. You have to be able to say, I'm the genius at figuring out the future. Because I love doing that, but you know, you're much better at marketing than I am. You're much better at this manufacturing thing than I am. I'm going to trust you, but I'm going to tell you, you know, sort of where we're going, what we're doing and work with you to figure out how you can contribute to doing that. I think that's what NeuroLeadership means. You have to understand that we're all irrational, impulsive, and emotional beings.   Steve Rush: Yeah.   Bill Flynn: If you understand that, then you'll be more compassionate, you'll be more thoughtful. And I think you'll be able to see it, this environment that you create is much more important than trying to figure out the answer to questions every day. You know, I keep saying you should, you should make one or two decisions a week as a leader. You know, we make dozens, if not hundreds of decisions a week, we shouldn't be making like, what kind of birthday cake should we do for the person in our group? Amazing stuff that we decide is important.   Steve Rush: It's very true. Isn't it? You talk about safety as being one of those key biases. And a, lot's been said about the whole principle of psychological safety, but it's an absolute key tenant of having the right behaviours so that you're thoughtful and compassionate to do the right things. So, if you could give our listeners a crash course on psychological safety and how to create that culture, where would you start?   Bill Flynn: So psychological safety is a term I believe was coined by Amy Edmondson, as far as I can tell, she's a person who acquainted. She has been studying this for about 20 years, I think. So psychological safety is basically is this. Creating an environment so that the people that are around you, especially your team, feels like they can screw up, admit mistakes, come up with crazy ideas without the fear of retribution or ridicule or scorn from others, either directly or indirectly. And if you can create that environment where people would just be themselves and not feel like they have to guard every thought and make sure that they're, you know, they're not looking stupid to their team, then you've created that environment, psychological safety. And then once you do that, then the magic happens, right? That's when all the really cool stuff, all those ideas, you know, you don't have to be the only one that comes up with the ideas of where to go. You can get them from others. And as long as you've created this environment, and you've sort of put that roadmap of that vision of where we're going, then you'll recognize the good ideas. Because you're like, oh, that can actually get us. That's a better idea than mine, and that'll get us closer or that'll be a better way of doing something in your particular world. Because you know it better than I do, so you just need to create that environment, is really an atmosphere that you're creating. That people could really just be themselves, and then once we relax again, backs that thing, once we can relax and we're not worried about how people think about us, you know, Simon Sinek calls us the second job of work, which is lying, hiding, and faking, and if we can eliminate that and get them back to the main job of really contributing to the healthy growth of the business, then you've done a great job.   Steve Rush: What do you think the reason is Bill that leaders don't embrace this enough?   Bill Flynn: It's hard, right? It's trusting someone else. You know, we live in a world that we kind of value that, right? We kind of value the knowing stuff. And we think that in order for us to be valuable, we have to be seen a certain way. And so, it's all about winning for the person as opposed to winning for the team. There's this great story about a football team. American football team here, a college football team here in the States, it's called the Ohio State University. In the thirties, forties and fifties. They were a juggernaut. They were just really hard to beat. They were always in the hunt for the championship every year. And then they started giving away these stickers and they call them Buckeyes. Which is, I think it's a nut or something and they put them on their helmets, but they were for individual awards.   And over the sixties, seventies and eighties, they started to get worse and worse. And then this guy came in and I think his name is Jim Tressel. And he said, you know, we've got to create this team atmosphere. We're sacrificing our own individual rewards for that of the team or our unit. And so, he still used the buckeye thing, but he only did it when the team or that unit on the field, when the defensive unit, you know, how to sack. Everyone on the defensive unit, got a Buckeye when there was a great play that was executed on, whatever, special teams or whatever. Everyone got a Buckeye and then they started to become better and better. And they've now, they still do the same thing, Urban Meyer or someone is their coach. And again, they're back every year, they're in for the chance to be in the championship game. And actually, this year, I think they're in it. And it's because they've created this environment of being a team. You know, being a teammate is not being in a group. It's being part of something bigger than yourself. It's sharing the rewards or responsibilities, but also having each other's back. And when you can create that environment, it's amazing what people will do. We are tribal people. Let's leverage that right. Lead with the brain and mind, understand that we are tribal people. We want to work together. So, create the environment so we can in the most way, and I think you'll do a much better job as a team leader. And I do team leader in the large scope either if the organization, then you're a team of team's leader. And then if you're in a particular group, you have a team. If you could teach people how to be really great team leaders. And I go into that a little bit, my book, and so does Amy Edmondson and hers called Teaming. And there are a few other people who talk about teams as well. You're just in a much better position and you'll do much better. So, I think that's true of what we're dealing with.   Steve Rush: I love that. One of the other things that you focus on with teams is helping them really stretch their thinking about the art of what is possible and you call these Bhag or Big Hairy Audacious Goals.   Bill Flynn: Yeah, Bhag is a term that was coined by Jim Collins. Made most famous by good to great, but I think he actually had it in an earlier book, but since Good to Great was such a bestseller. The term became a term of art. It's over 20 years old.   Steve Rush: Yeah, probably was actually.   Bill Flynn: Basically, it stands for Big Hairy Audacious Goal and being a contrarian than I am. I don't actually think it's a goal. I think it's more of a consequence than a goal because goals generally have some sort of measurable timeframe, et cetera. And the Bhag is sort of this thing that in the future, there's not really sure how you're going to get there, but this is how we would recognize it when we did. And that is, I think, sort of the combination or really the metaphor of the success, right? Of this vision that you have for the organization. This is a way to describe it in very specific terms. So, people can recognize that, hey, when we get there, we'll do this. There was a great company in Australia called RedBalloon. And they've been following this, they're doing this kind of work for a long time. So, they were an experiential gifting company, right? So, you didn't give away physical things. You gave away ballooning or jumping out of a plane or whatever. And they were tiny and they were in Australia and they were only in Australia. And so, they said, what would be the best? Like if we actually super successful, how would we know? And they came up with a numerical thing, which was, they wanted to have 2 million gifting experiences cumulatively. And they were like a few thousand, by the way, at the time. At the time when they did, they were only 20 million people in Australia. So, they wanted to be 10% of the population would be doing that. And so, a Bhag is a 10 to 30 year, according to Jim Collins sort of goal, somewhere in that 10-to-30-year timeframe, we will do this. We don't know how we're going to do it, but this will be it. And they did it in eight years. And I think that eighth year they'd push it up to 5 million. So, if you give people that, right, this, again, leading with the brain in mind. We'd love to have those targets, right? We love to be able to also see an experience and sort of recognize today, what's possible tomorrow because you've described it in such a vivid way. And the Bhag is a great way to do that. And we've seen lots of Bhags over time. You know, I think one Bhag, most people in the US know is, we will send a man to the moon and bring him home within the decade. And that was when we landed on the moon. That was a Bhag, right? We had to create new metals and also things that we didn't have before in order to get there. So, we had no idea how we were going to do it, but we said we were going to do it. And we put people on a task and human beings are wonderful, wonderful. If you give them something like that. If they have a passion for it, and it's amazing, the things that we can do, and we just need to create that environment. That's what the Bhag does. It creates something that's tangible.   Steve Rush: And in reverse, of course, the biases you talked about are the things that stop us, having the ability to think big, to move outside our comfort zone and to take those risks and to feel that psychological safety. So, we need to pay attention to that in ourselves, don't we? As well as when we lead.   Bill Flynn: Exactly, right. And this gets back to sort of this growth mindset and all the growth mindset means is you understand the power of yet, the word yet. I don't know this yet. I can't do this yet. And there are some things that you can't do, but most things you probably could if you put the time and the effort and the energy into it, and you really had the passion for it and the love for it. And we've seen this over and over again with people, especially, you know, just imagine. Lionel Messi, right? Which is probably the best soccer player ever. I mean, he had a great under fundamental talent, but man, he put in a lot of time and effort and he practiced a lot, but he almost quit when he was 15 from Barcelona, because they were trying to turn him into what they described as the ideal soccer player. And they wanted him to focus more on his right foot versus left foot. Most of us know that his left foot is just superior to his right and superior to everyone else's left foot as well. And they also wanted him to sort of stay in his lane and do his job, but that's not how he was successful, right? The reason he was really successful was he had a left foot that no one could touch. And he was able to see the field in such a way that he would put himself in a position where the ball was going to be. So that means he needed the ability to roam. And they said, don't quit. They said look, if you want to have your left foot be the main focus, you just got to be the best left foot in the game, let's focus on it. And they said, you know what, when you're on the field, we don't care where you are, just be dangerous. And that's what he did, right? And, you know, the story he is now 34, 35 years old.   Steve Rush: And I'm still dangerous.   Bill Flynn: Still dangerous. He started when he was 15, can you imagine he was doing this for 16, 17 years. So, I think that's a great metaphor for understanding being a leader, right? It's understanding the unique talents of each of your team members and then try to have them use those as often as you can every day, every week, every year. If you do that, they'll be happier, they will be more engaged. They'll feel more connected, you know, et cetera, create that psychological safety. That's why I think the NeuroLeadership thing is so important to understanding the brain is such a huge factor in creating a great organization and being successful.   Steve Rush: I agree, so this part of the show Bill is when I get to hack into your leadership mind and pull on all of the years of experiences. Now, given all of the vast experiences you've had, I'm going to ask you to narrow down what your top three leadership hacks could be?   Bill Flynn: Sure. I've got three, there in my book. And basically, there's a meaningful gap between what science knows and business does. We've already mentioned this a little bit. You know, I say challenged, conventional wisdoms. For instance, we're told often to talk to your customers and that's just wrong because it's valid, but not sufficient, I like to say. You shouldn't talk to all your customers. You should only talk to your best customers. The customers who love you and who you love, because you want to get to know them. So, you can find the next one like them, because their most profitable, they're your best referrals and references in the business. Other things like our learning, we just more recently in the last 10 years, understanding how the brain learns, yet still go back to the old didactic model, right? Where teacher stand in front of the class and fills you full of information. That's actually not how the brain learn. The brain learns in a completely different way. And my last one is feedback. I'm just not a big fan of feedback. I think feedback is a tool, but we use it as the thing, right? And to me, the thing that we want to do. Feedback as a tool for growth is to help others to improve. There's lots of great ways to help them grow and feedback is one of them. And I think it's actually one of the things you should use the least often, because there's this thing in neuroscience called reactants, right? Which is, I'll put it in terms of mask wearing. A lot of people don't wear masks just because they were told you have to wear masks, that's it, that's reactants. We are like, screw you. Don't tell me what to do. I know better. And we come up with reasons with freedom and CO2 is going to kill me or whatever, you know, we'll make up irrational reasons to support whatever we think is important. And that's the difference between science and just sort of conventional wisdom. And so, I think if you focus on the science of business and understand that there are real first principles and how to build a great business, and we've seen it over and over and over again and learn those and then see how they apply to your business and then create methodologies to help you apply those principles that work for you. The second thing is few things truly matter, but those that do matter, tremendously. Leaders do not spend enough time here. There are only a few things, and in my book is just three things, right?   It's created a team environment. Performance is a team sport. If you want to create a business that scales in a predictable manner, you have to think in terms of systems and processes, your business is just one big system made up a bunch of small subsystems. And if you can understand how those systems work, you'll be able to tweak them as they go. And by the way, if you fix one system, sometimes you break another one, right? If you fix the sales process, sometimes you break the delivery process because all of a sudden you can't deliver on time. If you fix the marketing process, sometimes you break the sales process and so forth. So, figuring out those two things. The last thing of my three, so it's team, it's creating the business operating system. And then the last is cash. It should be your primary financial growth metric.   To me, those are the few things that truly matter in business. And you need to figure out how to apply those in your business. And then lastly is, leaders rely too much on effort, luck, timing, and force of will to achieve quote unquote, success. These do not scale profitably. At some point, you're going to run out of hours in a day and energy, relying on yourself and a few people to make a business grow to a hundred, two thousands of people, just doesn't work. So those three things, meaningful gap between science, what science knows and business does, few things truly matter. But those that do matter tremendously and leaders rely too much on effort, luck, timing, and force of will to achieve success. Don't do it.   Steve Rush: Awesome, love that. Now this part of the show we Hack to Attack. It's typically where something's gone wrong in your life or your work. Indeed, it could have been catastrophic, but as a result of the experience, we now use it as a positive in our life or our work. So, what would be your Hack to Attack? Bill Flynn: Yeah, so I've been a sales person since I was 22, 23 years old. And when I first became a sales person, I just became Salesforce by accident, to be honest with you. I was lucky enough to have a very well-connected family member in the Boston high-tech scene. And he got me a whole bunch of informational interviews. And one of them hired me, which is really cool. And they hired me as a sales guy. And I said, all right, I'll give that a shot. And they told me, here's what you need to be a good salesperson, right? You need to really know your product. You need to know it inside and out and so on and so forth. And you need to be able to relate to customers and all that kind of stuff, and I was terrible at it. Terrible, but I did all those things. I mean, I'm generally a pretty smart guy, I'm pretty relatable, most people like me. And I knew my product inside and out, but I was not good at it. And I looked at it and said, why? Why am I not good at this? All the things they told me to be good at, I am good at. But I'm still not selling. And I said, so there's got to be a next factor in here that I'm unaware of. So, I really studied it and said, what is the essence of selling? The essence of selling is helping someone else to make a decision. So, I studied decision-making. How do people make decisions? And then that's how I got into neuroscience, 15 years ago.   The brain makes decisions in a certain way. And you probably know this, but maybe your listeners don't. When a decision is made, most often the emotional centres of our brain light up first, and they actually light up often before we're consciously aware of the decision that we've made. And some people call this limbic system. There's a lot of controversy of the limbic system or not. I don't really know, but let's call it that for sake of argument. So, and your limbic system and decision-making system was designed before we really had language. So, we actually make a decision on an emotional level and then make up the reasons after the fact. And once I figured that out, I became the number one or number two salesperson everywhere I went.   Steve Rush: Awesome, yeah.   Bill Flynn: It's like a super superpower.   Steve Rush: I love that. And it's ironic, isn't it? That all buying decisions are emotional first and then logical second, but most salespeople start with that logical approach and features, benefits, advantages when actually the emotional triggers are the ones you need to be focusing on first.   Bill Flynn: Agree, there's this great theory called jobs to be done, which I love, which focuses on three things, which is the social, emotional and functional aspects of decision-making in the buying process. And all three are factors. Some out weight more than others and some before the others, but they're almost always the three of them in there or two or three of them in there. And if you notice, two of them are social and emotional, which are not something that we focus on a lot. And if you can really do a good job of that, you can actually create great products that you never even thought you should make. And people, you know, a lot of the things that I do are talking to leaders and saying, helping them understand their future, which is really interesting how to create a strategy. And I asked them, why do people buy from you? And they basically say, because we're awesome. Because we make great this, we do we do this, and their like, no, they don't. They don't really care about what you make. They care about what you do for them.   Steve Rush: That's right.   Bill Flynn: Not what you do. And if you could figure out, how you make their lives better? How you fix a struggle or help them with progress? Then you'll actually create products and parts of products and services that support that, but we don't.   Steve Rush: It's interesting stuff. Really interesting. Last thing we want to do with you today, Bill is give you the chance to do a bit of time travel and you get to bump into yourself at 21 and give yourself some advice.   Bill Flynn: So, mine is, and actually this is funny Steve. I do this question a lot. I do an alignment question with my clients on a regular basis and alignment, meaning that these are things that they learn about each other that maybe they didn't know. And this is one of them, which is, if you go back in time, give yourself some advice and that would have made your life easier or better or accelerated, you know, your successors in some way. So, I've been doing this forever. So, I love this question, which is, to me, it would be to embrace uncertainty and to eschew certitude. I was brought up in a household that having the answer was more highly valued than asking a question and being unsure, sort of not being as comfortable. There's a saying, which I don't know if it's true, but I love it, which is that, you know, stupid people are always confident and smart people are unsure.   Steve Rush: I like that.   Bill Flynn: And you know, so you got to be comfortable holding two opposing ideas in your mind at once or more. One of both, maybe right, depending on the circumstance. And sometimes combining the best bits of each may also be right or more right. And if you sort of keep that in mind and not get stymied by it, right? Cause you can actually go into analysis paralysis. At some point you got to make a decision. I think if you can do that, you could say embrace uncertainty. You know what? This decision might be wrong. And if it is, then we'll fix it, but let's go ahead. We've got enough information, as much as we can particularly gather, let's just go with what we think is the best option, but know that we might be wrong either by hiring this person or making this product decision or bringing on this partner, whatever it is. And then if it is, then we'll fix it because we've got all this wonderful environment created around the culture and values and purpose and all those kinds of things. And we might find out that we're wrong and that's okay.   Steve Rush: Awesome.   Bill Flynn: We'll, we'll fix it.   Steve Rush: Bill, I could talk to you for hours and hours. Unfortunately, we're coming to the end of our time together today. But for the folks that are listening, who also want to continue the conversation with you, where's the best place where you can send them?   Bill Flynn: My website, which is catalystgrowthadvisors.com. And there you can find my email, my phone number, or you can actually set up a book some time with me, my book is on there. My book I give away for free on my site is if you just want to download the PDF, you can certainly do that. And more about the message than the money. If you want to buy it off Amazon, great. You can do it from there as well. There's a link to my Amazon audible on my website, but that's it. So, again, www.catalystgrowthadvisors.com.   Steve Rush: We'll also make sure those links are in our show notes Bill so that folks can head straight over and connect with you from here.   Bill Flynn: Awesome, thanks Steve. Appreciate It.   Steve Rush: Been amazing having you on the show, Bill. I wish you every success. It's no surprise that you have been so successful, some fantastic foundations and some fantastic learning you shared with our listeners today. So, we wish you all the best for the future.   Bill Flynn: Thank you, your very kindly. Closing   Steve Rush: I genuinely want to say heartfelt thanks for taking time out of your day to listen in too. We do this in the service of helping others, and spreading the word of leadership. Without you listening in, there would be no show. So please subscribe now if you have not done so already. Share this podcast with your communities, network, and help us develop a community and a tribe of leadership hackers.   Finally, if you would like me to work with your senior team, your leadership community, keynote an event, or you would like to sponsor an episode. Please connect with us, by our social media. And you can do that by following and liking our pages on Twitter and Facebook our handler there @leadershiphacker. Instagram you can find us there @the_leadership_hacker and at YouTube, we are just Leadership Hacker, so that is me signing off. I am Steve Rush and I have been the leadership hacker.    

Amber Hurdle is the CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi-award-winning talent optimization firm; she's a speaker, author and podcast host of The Bombshell Business Podcast. In this episode, learn from amber About:   How self-awareness can kick start your Brand refresh The “data' parallels of global brands vs. personal and company brands How to sharpen your brand with the “Velvet Machete” Why self-assessment and continuous learning makes you greater Follow us and explore our social media tribe from our Website: https://leadership-hacker.com Music: " Upbeat Party " by Scott Holmes courtesy of the Free Music Archive FMA Transcript: Thanks to Jermaine Pinto at JRP Transcribing for being our Partner. Contact Jermaine via LinkedIn or via his site JRP Transcribing Services Find out more about Amber below: Amber Hurdle Website: https://amberhurdle.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/amberhurdle Instagram: http://instagram.com/thevelvetmachete LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle   Full transcript below   Steve Rush: Some call me Steve, dad, husband or friend. Others might call me boss, coach or mentor. Today you can call me The Leadership Hacker. Thanks for listening in. I really appreciate it. My job as the leadership hacker is to hack into the minds, experiences, habits and learning of great leaders, C-Suite executives, authors and development experts so that I can assist you developing your understanding and awareness of leadership. I am Steve Rush and I am your host today. I am the author of Leadership Cake. I am a transformation consultant and leadership coach. I cannot wait to start sharing all things leadership with you. Amber Hurdle is the special guest on today's show. She's the CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting, a multi award winning brand ambassador and talent optimizer. She's also the host of The Bombshell Business Podcast and author of The Bombshell Business Woman. But before we get a chance to meet with Amber, it's The Leadership Hacker News.   The Leadership Hacker News   Steve Rush: In the news today, we explore the upsurge of the use of digital technology and whether it's transferred power to the people. Sally Helgeson, who was cited by Forbes as the world's premier expert on female leadership, discusses how homeworking facilitated by digital technology has reversed the balance of power from capital to people. In 1993, Peter Drucker published Post-Capitalist Society. It has extraordinary lessons for leaders today, as we seek to emerge from the confusion, the pain and disruption of our pandemic 2020 society. Drucker was referring to the fact that capitalism became the primary means of production to the scale and complexity, requiring significant capital investment. Capital had by far the greatest valley in the chain of production. So, it grew to become quite expensive while the cost of people and labour became relatively cheap. As a result, the primary means of production, which of course was industrial machinery had to be centralized in factories and later in offices, via computers and tech, which meant that most people could no longer work from home. These two factors combined gave power in those who either provided a capital for enterprise or investment, or indeed hired to exercise it, that is senior management, but Drucker foresaw that the economist of the digital technology would reverse this basic logic. The digital tools that made such a transformative impact over the last 20 years are vastly more dependent on human knowledge and creativity than on raw materials and heavy machinery. As Drucker said, those tools began to reverse the balance of power between people and capital. And since people began to own the primary means of production, which of course is our brains and our thinking. That's what distinguishes the knowledge economy. And it's the reason why a new idea can make a hundred years of what was seen to be thoughtful, intensive capital development, almost obsolete overnight. And it's the reason why we now view leadership as something that should be distributed through organizations, rather than let the sole top of those leading the organizations. This year, it's taken on a fresh perspective as individuals around the world had to spend months working from home and organizations have had to adapt really quickly to this new reality. And it's fortunate that technology has reached a point where it allows us to do this, and we can now see that the trend in working from home or working at home is already well underway. So, what will it mean going forward for the primary means of production? It will be engaged within people's homes, places of where once we used to be housed prior to the industrial revolution. In short, Post-Capitalist Society that Drucker foretold almost 30 years ago is now suddenly and with force upon us, it's consequences will reshape our organizations, our lives and for the next century, and as leaders now more than ever, we need to be thoughtful and help our teams reframe that perspective and consider what their mindset is for the future. We may need to consider our homes as now our place of work. Stereotypes that we may have had such as stay at home moms or stay at home dads become obsolete and many more biases and assumptions could present themselves. But our job as leaders is to listen for those assumptions to challenge and to test them and to recognize that no longer capital will drive the future, but it's our people themselves. That's been The Leadership Hacker News. If you have any interesting stories or news that you'd like to share, please get in touch.   Start of Podcast   Steve Rush: Amber Hurdle is our special guest on today's show. She's a multi award-winning consultant and business partner, a brand expert and author of The Bombshell Business Woman. Amber, welcome to The Leadership Hacker Podcast. Amber Hurdle: I am so grateful to be here, thank you. Steve Rush: You have a really interesting backstory from team mom to CEO. How did it all start for you? Amber Hurdle: On the struggle bus? So just kind of going way back to the teen mom days, that seems so long ago, there was a big why, and that was giving my daughter every opportunity in the world that a child not born to a teen mom would have. And that is a commitment that I made in the hospital, indignant. That was mission critical, and with that, even though I stumbled and made a lot of terrible, awful, horrible, decisions, I did find a way to continuously fail forward in the interest of pursuing that big why. So, through that process, I had to learn at the time I had no idea what this current buzz term was, but I had to learn how to develop my personal brand so that I could position myself to get better shifts at work, to get a job I might not be fully qualified for to be able to attract the right people and opportunities to me so that I could raise this child who was brilliant and deserved better than what I brought her into this world into. So as that continuously enabled me to move forward with success, I began to do various things to help support that, that in turn became things that I would help team members with or employees with or colleagues, or eventually when I went back to college, because I figured out there's this word for this thing that I do and it's called public relations. And then I discovered the world of internal relations. And so, I started using the same principles and the confidence that came with it because I knew that it worked because I've used it on me and everyone else. And now I'm dealing with senior leaders in my career and I'm helping shape their personal brands, like an internal publicist of sorts and increasing their influence. And it's just gone from there, I've worked with celebrities, I've worked with, I mean, you name it, I've done it. And I'm 41 years old and abundantly blessed that I get to be the wounded healer that I get to be someone who can pursue her purpose through her vocation. Steve Rush: That's awesome Amber. And I guess part of that failing forward that you talked about ,was also maybe being brand aware at certain parts of your life. So, you could pivot your career accordingly. Would that be kind of fair? Amber Hurdle: Oh, absolutely. You know, I was sitting at lunch with a childhood friend, someone who I've been friends with since high school. This was a few years back, and he was looking at maybe shifting his career a little bit. And he said, Amber, you're just the Madonna of professional life. You're constantly evolving and reinventing yourself. And I looked at him somewhat confused because I didn't perceive it that way. And I said, help me understand that. Can you say that a different way? And he talked about the different pieces of my career and I just looked at him and I said, that is all me wrapping everything that I do into communication and engagement. That's the vehicle, that's what I do. I'm able to communicate. I can teach other people how to communicate. I know how to engage. I can teach other people how to engage. And throughout my career, whether I was a celebrity event planner, whether I was an internal you know, employee relations person, whether I was doing PR work or whatever, fundraising and Scc College, it was all about communication and engagement. So it is that, you have to really clearly understand what your gifting is. You have to understand what uniquely makes you, you. And so, anybody can do communication and engagement, right. I can define and position, my value by saying, I can do that and that I can do that because I was forced to learn the hard way through my teen mother experience. Steve Rush: Right, yeah. It's huge lessons that you probably experienced much earlier in your life than most folk would've done. Right? Amber Hurdle: Absolutely. I was chatting with a friend last night who is just so advanced. I mean, I just asked him like, why are you so smart? How did you get so smart? Cause you didn't go to college or in your neck of the woods, you didn't go to university. But he just has this wealth of business knowledge. And he said, you know what, Amber, you became an adult way early. You're a decade ahead of your peer group. I started my first business when I was 17 and its those same principles. It's just that dumb youth of learning the hard way and actually having enough energy may be to recover from the ridiculous mistakes that you make. But because we made them so young, it catapulted us forward into having a deeper wisdom around whether that's life or business or, you know, anything like that. Steve Rush: And academia of course, is not a prerequisite for entrepreneurialism. In fact, most entrepreneurs, I know actually have less of an academic background than the former. Amber Hurdle: Yeah, because we never stop learning. We don't go to school and then say, okay, I've learned everything I need to learn. I wrote everything I had to write. I've read everything I need to read and I'm sick of it, so the end. Again, and I have to credit my friend for kind of bringing that up last night. Good timing for this interview. When you're an entrepreneur. I mean, I just think about this year alone, everything that I've had to go back and say, okay, now I need to learn how to do this. I need a refresher on that. I haven't really learned this in probably about four years. So, what's changed? I need to learn that. So, I've taken four different courses. I'm constantly watching YouTube. We have to do that to respond to the ever-changing business environment that we're in. And when you think of learning or of my personal education or my personal intelligence being attached to formal education, you really missing out. Steve Rush: Yup, get it. A hundred per cent subscribe to that whole principle of continuous learning and evolution is just what makes you greater. So, in your consulting world now, you've managed to unite branding and science together to really help amplify that human capital when it comes to brands. Tell us a little bit about how you've done that? Amber Hurdle: So, branding background, PR of course. The way that big businesses approach branding their marketing is how I approach that with individuals in terms of personal brands, as well as employee bases in terms of employer brands. And so, my velvet machete brand strategy believes that if you have strong leaders with strong personal brands, they can then lead strong employer brands where people feel really excited about coming to work. They understand where their gifts and their talents and their experience fit into the big picture. And when you have happy employees delivering at that peak level, then you have a strong business brand because your customers are satisfied. Things are getting done the way they're supposed to be done. You don't have as many errors or, you know, whatever that looks like you, you know that you have a strong business brand cause it's from the inside out. So, with that in mind, let's think about like Nike, Nike does millions of dollars' worth of market research before they do any type of marketing campaign. And so, what they have to do is figure out from data, whether that is cookies on their website, tracking, you know, where are you clicking? How long do you stay on a page? Whether that is through loyalty programs, it could be focus groups, whatever. They have to have data. They're going to take that data to understand the big picture what's going on inside of their brand, how they can most efficiently and effectively market. And they'd start to develop ideal customer profiles so that they can speak into the emotions of their customers and potential customers. Now, why don't we do that internally? Steve Rush: Right. Amber Hurdle: We need to do the same thing. We need to canvas our entire team. We need to understand who's working for us. We need to understand what does that landscape look like so that we can speak to them emotionally about their contributions, about why they are with our organization and why we all share the same philosophies and values and that sort of thing. That is the bedrock of our culture. And then as we hire just like Nike creates ideal customer profiles and their messaging, their brand doesn't change. Their "Just Do It". Their brand doesn't change at all, but their messaging changes. If they are targeting an elite athlete who might need some performance gear versus a soccer mom, who's just going to wear her athletes aware at target, very different people, very different messaging, same brand. So, if you look at that from the perspective of your employer brand, you have the same brand. You are who you are, these are your values, you know? And so, you need to create ideal employee profiles for each position that you are hiring. Steve Rush: It's almost the same process that Nike is deploying isn't? But just internally, with an internal lens. Amber Hurdle: It is, and it's so funny when I get invited into a company. I was recognized and I'm not tooting my own horn. I'm just saying, it's not novel. But I was recognized by global gurus as one of the top 30 brand professionals thought leaders for 2020, because my perception of branding is different from the inside out. And I'm just like, to me, this is so obvious. If you have the data and you know where the holes are in your team and you know, behaviourally what type of person you need in that role and, you know, personality-wise, then you can start using data to help you make informed decisions, just like Nike uses data to make informed decisions. Now you can market, now you can recruit, now you can retain and keep everybody happy, just like we do with our customers. I don't see the reach in that, but apparently, it's a new thing to talk about. Steve Rush: It's an awareness thing, I think. Amber Hurdle: Yeah. Steve Rush: What you're describing is just that internal lens shift. Now the five-step process that you've developed with your velvet machete, and by the way, I just love the visual metaphor. Velvet machete, I think it's brilliant because I'm a visual kind of guy anyway, so I can almost see this really soft little machete coming down to me, but I know that it's going to take me through proper rigorous five-step process. Let's get into that and talk about how that can maybe help some of our listeners think about their own brand awareness. So, what are the five steps? Amber Hurdle: Let's just start first with the concept development machete. So, the machete cuts to the chase. It is a direct way of communicating and influencing, but the velvet wraps the message in a way that's appealing to your unique audience. So just like Nike has different messaging. So does the velvet machete process. So, we need to keep that in mind, as you move through these five steps. Now, first and foremost, you have to become self-aware. So, as you're building your personal brand, which is step number one, you have to be able to confidently define and position your value. You have to know what you bring to the table. And I've got of course, tons of exercises that get you to that point. But only when you understand yourself, can you start to move through the rest of these processes. So, step number two is then building supportive environments, creating systems and structures that uniquely support your efforts. So, if I know I am excellent at whatever, I need to create environments around me, whether that's people environments, or how my workflow is set up, it could be spiritual or physical or mental environments that I need to put in place to fortify those things that are great about me. Now, a lot of people like to talk about strengths and weaknesses. I can't stand to do that. I'm not a weak person. I'm also not amazing at advanced math. And so, I'm not going to say, well, that's a weakness. It's just not helpful. Me doing advanced math is not helpful to my mission. So, with that in mind, I just bubble wrap that just like fine China. Beautiful, precious, expensive, valuable, fine China. It's not weak. It just is fragile. And so, we bubble wrap it to ship it across the country. So, whatever is fragile in your toolbox of resources, we need to bubble wrap that. So, for me, I have a CPA, I have a bookkeeper and I have someone who handles payroll. Okay? So, they teach me, but that's my bubble wrap. And you can do that in all areas of your life. But here's the beauty. When you are very confident in who you are and what you bring to the table, and then you create all of these environments to really strengthen, being able to do that. And then instead of being like, oh, I wish I was more, blah, blah, blah. You just bubble wrap that stuff. Now, now you're really moving forward with confidence. And my velvet machete leadership Academy is all about becoming a competent, compassionate leader, having that velvet machete balance. Once you have that in place and you are strong, your foundation is strong only then can you move on to mastering your communication. Because now we're including other people. So, if you're not solid is really difficult to begin to interact with others. So, you have to be able to speak with authority while listening with intent to drive results. So, I know who I am. I know what I bring to the table. Now I'm listening to you with intent. I'm being able to communicate like Nike in different ways for different audiences, with that velvet machete style that I have. And once I can master that communication, and I understand how to have a two-way conversation with my various key stakeholders, then I can move on to step four and truly mastermind engagement. And that's when I use my self-awareness, my ability to understand what type of environments I need, my ability to communicate. And once I see and harvest the greatness in others, I can rally their support. And that's where people get hung up. That is the billion-dollar problem. And I'll tell you, I was with a client a handful of weeks ago, and she is a dynamo. I mean, she's just amazing and has all kinds of experience and is pretty senior in her role. And she was stuck because she'd been working for months on something, but she could not get the buy-in of somebody that would move it forward, which would save the company a billion dollars. Steve Rush: Wow. Amber Hurdle: I'm not joking, billion with B. And so, we worked through how she could frame that in order to get that buy-in, to move it to the next phase of approval. She killed it. She not only got in that next phase, but she got the next phase and everything came to fruition. They're following her plan. They're going to now move forward, trying to save the company a billion dollars. She could not have done that without self-awareness, without the environments that she needed to support her, without understanding her communication style and how she needed to communicate to this initial key stakeholder plus the next round. And if she was unable to rally support from this person, that company would not have her extreme intention, her gifts, and the gifts of her team to save them a billion dollars with a B. So, once you've done these four things, now you can build influence. Now you can guide and focus people and processes towards success because now this person has everything that she needs. And so, everyone knows the goal and she can just rally that support. And then build on that, moving everyone together towards saving that billion dollars. This process is not like, oh, these are soft skills. And everybody needs to, you know, we need to increase our emotional intelligence. Blah-Blah-Blah fluffy, fluffy unicorns. Steve Rush: Yeah, exactly. Amber Hurdle: We're saving a billion dollars here people, this is important. Steve Rush: The one thing that I observe when I also coach execs is that this persona, if you like of soft skills presents itself quite a bit. And I always have the conversation that says there's nothing soft about having great communication skills, being able to engage and influence people. That's real hard skills. What about some of the baggage that comes with the language that we internalize with ourselves? Amber Hurdle: That is why I call it a relevant machete. I mean, that doesn't sound very soft. The velvet does, but that's my way of bringing awareness to. This isn't child's play, we're not on the strengths couch right now. This is an internal fuzziness. Now, anybody who works with me understands that I have no differentiation between professional and personal. We do not compartmentalize our lives. We are a whole person, and all of that is going on all at the same time. And especially if your career is a manifestation of your purpose, then now we're really coagulated. It's all put in a blender together. And so, yes, when we're talking about our environments and when we're talking about our personal brand, we might have to go into some deeply personal places, but at the end of the day, if you do the work, and that's what I tell my clients all the time, you have to do the work. If you're willing to do the work, then you're empowered into that competent, compassionate leader. That leader who can influence because people see your authenticity and they are inspired by your ability to show them how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. Steve Rush: I love that five steps, by the way. I think it's a really neat way of just thinking about the process you need to go through. And like you say, this is not soft. This is proper work, isn't it? Amber Hurdle: It is, and I appreciate that feedback. Thank you.   Steve Rush: So, you've also turned to writing and you've authored the book, The Bombshell Business Woman. Tell us a little bit about what the inspiration was for the book? Amber Hurdle: Sure. So, when I left corporate and I began working with organizations through consulting and training and speaking, I had several female friends, acquaintances who came to me and said, wow, Amber, you know, you really have branded and marketed yourself well. I'm really struggling with that in my business. And so, I find myself kind of having like a part-time job of helping friends to position themselves. And of course, my whole career is PR, marketing and that sort of thing in various forms. And I've owned other businesses where I've done this successfully. So being the type of person who likes to pay things forward, I did, but then it got overwhelming. And so, I thought, you know what, I'm just going to have a one-day bootcamp. And I'm going to invite some of my smartest friends who are former executives who are now independent and we're just going to hash it out. So, I did that and it was wildly successful. So, I thought, well, Hmm, interesting. We probably should do this again, but really dig in a little bit more. And so, I did, I had an offering of a weekly bombshell business bootcamp, and I took them through the different phases that I eventually put into the book. And I had people from five different county in middle Tennessee attend very faithfully and it was beautiful to see what they did in their businesses and how they collaborated with each other and how the whole strengthened the individual businesses. And so, at that point I was like, Hmm, I'm onto something here. So, I would love to write a book, but I'm still not super clear. I know what five-county worth of, you know, again, we're back to data, right? So, I understand this subsection, but I live in the South and there's just limitations to that. So, I launched the podcast and develop the most beautiful relationship with my listeners. That was possible, they were so open with me. They would send me messages all of the time, they sent mail to my office, told me I listened to this episode. This is how I applied it. This is what changed in my business. I mean, it was like a market researcher dream. For me, it's about, can I serve you? And is this working for you? But the reality is this is data. And now I can use it to inform my decision making. So, with that really intimate understanding of The Bombshell Business Woman, I was able to write this book. Because I wanted any woman with $15 dollars to be able to self-educate. So, we're back to that, right? And I wrote it very much in a conversational style. The first four chapters were more about my personal life so that they can understand, like, if Amber could do it, I can do it. I have no more excuses. Cause looking at Amber went through and then it's very tactical after that. And I did that with intention, not because I was trying to give away the form and people were like, oh, you could've made a course about that. I'm like that wasn't the intention of this book. The intention of this book was to give any woman with $15 dollars in her pocket and exact guide to get her business to where it needs to go. And so, the reward in that was people writing in saying, I'm on page, whatever, I'm in total tears. It's as if you wrote this book just to me and I wouldn't have been able to do that. Had I not had that relationship with my listeners where I knew where their pain was, where I knew, where they were stuck in their frustration. And in the end, I had a beautiful message from someone on Instagram. And she had a dream of selling her struggling yoga practice. And she wanted to open up a yoga retreat, Bali or some beautiful location. And she was really in trouble with her business. She wrote to me and said she started listening to my podcast. She listened to every episode twice. She read my book; she downloaded the workbook. She did everything that I told her to do. And not only did she get her business to a healthy place, she sold it for an absurd amount of money. And she sent me a picture of her yoga retreat in Bali or wherever it is and invited me to follow her social media accounts, to see it grow and flourish. Steve Rush: How awesome is that! Amber Hurdle: And again, you are too. We're in unique situations where we can't really describe the successes of our clients because it is so confidential. And so, I'm describing the success so that any listener who thinks I don't have anything to say or who would listen to me, or I'm not educated enough, I'm not experienced enough. My encouragement to you is that, you know more than somebody else out there and that somebody is looking for somebody to lead them through difficulty or to get them to a next level. And so, if you put it out there, people will find you. Your tribe will find you, if you are truly authentically you and you don't hold back, people will find you and you will help other people get incredible results. Steve Rush: That's so true, isn't it? So true. And also, the whole philosophy of technology plays a big part in the book as well. There was one particular chapter in the book that really tickled me and it was a teaching Wilma Flintstone in the Jane Jetson world. Amber Hurdle: Yes, [Laughing]. Steve Rush: Just tell us a little bit about that? Amber Hurdle: The target audience for this particular book. And I'll just give you the avatar or the ideal customer profile of The Bombshell Business Woman. She's 42 years old, she has two kids. One is almost graduated. The other one's in junior high. He plays soccer. She's involved in everything. And, you know, she's chamber of commerce, volunteers, good wife, great daughter, all that kind of stuff. And yet all she can see, even though everyone else sees her as a total rock star is what she's not doing right. And one of the things that she laments over is that she's just not good with technology. She doesn't get the Twitter. The website blows her mind. Anything that would help streamline her business is frustrating. And so, what I loved, especially in that initial cohort of the bombshell business bootcamp that we did live over several weeks was I was able to show them how easy peasy things could be. And once they realized that it wasn't overwhelming, they were able to implement it in their business. Thank God. Cause now in COVID, everybody's using technology and virtual everything. Steve Rush: Right. Amber Hurdle: So, they had a little leg up there and it just took away that fear. And so, so much of what we don't accomplish in life and in our businesses is because we're simply afraid. And if you have somebody to walk alongside you to show you. The boogie monster is not underneath the bed, it's going to be uncomfortable for a minute. And then you're going to move past that discomfort. And just like, you know, when this particular avatar was somebody who was a hairstylist and she was in another salon and decided she could probably do it better herself. And so, she opened up her own salon and seven years in, she had 10 employees or contractors, and now she's looking at her business going, oh my gosh, how did I do this? I'm not a businesswoman. I'm not a business person. I accidentally had success in my business. She doesn't credit herself. And here's everything that I'm doing wrong because I didn't go to school to do this, that's my person. Steve Rush: Awesome. I love that. And if I'm a leader, listen to this. So, be that a woman or a man, because we've all gotten in a bombshell, what's the first steps in unlocking that? Amber Hurdle: I started in the book with that self-awareness with developing that personal brand because, you know, I say that I sell branding and I deliver confidence. And I just so believe that if you were confident in what you are capable of, you can get through those uncomfortable things. He knows like, oh yeah, okay. Well, I suck at math. So, I mean, not all math, but it no big deal. What can I do to improve upon this? And so, it just makes the fear go away. But I think the other thing that a lot of bombshell businesswoman or my bombshell boys as I call it, because I also got, you know, former military writing to me saying, it's like, you wrote the book just to me. And I'm like, really is your name Am? because that's my avatar name. But it's very similar struggles, right. I just happen to write it in a language that was, you know, really intentional for women, but having a plan. And I say that almost giggling in the year 2020 when we're recording this, because we all had a plan going into this year, right. Steve Rush: Well, yeah, that's the irony of strategic planning is to think about the, what-ifs, the wildcards or scenarios and the great art of great planning is to think of the unthought. Amber Hurdle: Exactly, and that is exactly why when I teach my marketing process, which I call the red lipstick marketing blueprint, which all that refers to is you put in the minimum amount of effort for the maximum results. So, ladies, you understand this. When you've got to run to the grocery store, you might put on your sunglasses and some red lipstick, you look like you're put together and you did not put on a full face of makeup. Other people can do the whole Kardashians, you know, I'm going to put all this layer of makeup on and it really doesn't improve the situation much. And so, I think we all get convoluted in our marketing strategies and we're trying to do everything and everything that's, you know, every new email that comes in and tells us we should be doing this, every trend that sets off, then we get, you know, squirrel and we're over there doing that. What I encourage is that you take things three months at a time. Yes, you want to know your entire years' worth of strategic initiatives, but let's just mark it three months at a time. Because as entrepreneurs, we've got to be able to be agile. We have to know if this shifts in my business, or if this shifts in the market, I need to be able to quickly shift with it. So that is something that I teach. And whether that's your strategic planning, quarter by quarter or your marketing plan, you have to be self-aware, you have to know what you are great at. So, you can be confident moving forward and where you need to bubble wrap things. And then as an entrepreneur, you need to be able to be intentional about your planning so that you can be flexible when things don't go well. Otherwise, you're starting from scratch and just flailing around in the middle of the ocean without any type of direction of where shore is. Steve Rush: Super wise words, I can almost hear the inner bombshells being released as people are listening. Amber Hurdle: I love it. Steve Rush: So, this is where we turn the leadership lens on you. And we get to hack into your leadership mind. Amber Hurdle: Okay. Steve Rush: Not only you're a great consultant and a business partner, you're a CEO and a leader in your own, right. Amber for our listeners, just share with us your top three leadership hacks. Amber Hurdle: Sure, I'll tell you the ones that really have worked for me. One is assessments. Of course, I'm certified in two assessments. I'm also, fun fact. Professional astrology software because I think that's God's personality assessment for the world. I don't think we can predict the future or anything, but I do think we can better understand ourselves. So, assessments that is a short-fit hack. Mentorship - you don't know everything. There's no way that you can learn everything. So, look to somebody who has been there, done that. Has made the mistakes they can share with you. Who's had the triumphs that they can share with you, who can help you shortcut through life. And you will be in really great shape. And the third thing is really dialling up your people environment. And so that is surrounding yourself with people who think like you. Who have a vibrational energy that matches yours, when you're around them, you feel edified and like you can move forward, and like, you can accept their feedback because you can trust that it's within your best interest and it's not somebody who's just so scared of where you're going and they don't think that they can go there with you, that they're going to try to hold you back. Steve Rush: They're super snacks, awesome. So, the next part of the show we call Hack to Attack. So, this is where something in your past, hasn't worked out as well, maybe even screwed up, but as a result of the experience, now use it as a positive in your life, what will be your Hack to Attack? Amber Hurdle: Well, we could go all the way back, I could give you like, you know, 38,000, my early teen mom days, but let's just go to the beginning of this year. So, like most people COVID dramatically impacted my business. Prior to this year really did mostly professional speaking on stages. And then in-person consulting, so as you can imagine. Within 48 hours, my entire speaking calendar through 2021 was cancelled, believe it or not, I actually had a pandemic clause in my agreement who knew, but I did. But that wasn't the right thing to do to hold people to this, I just feel like we're all in this together. So, I gave all of those deposits back so they could refund their attendees. And then within probably about two weeks, because so many of my clients are in hospitality, hotels, and entertainment. They came to me and said, we really need to be let out of our agreement because we're having to furlough our employees. And so obviously they can't pay me. So again, doing the right thing, let everybody out of their agreements. And I was left with not a whole lot. So, thank God my husband and I have multiple businesses. So, it wasn't disabling to my livelihood, but this is my passion, this is my purpose. So, I took a big step back and I was like, okay, the universe, God, whatever you feel comfortable as I tell you the story, and we'll just say the universe for the most vanilla way of saying it, it just shoved everything off of my desk. It just wiped it all onto the floor. And then I was left with the decision of what do I want to pick up off the floor and put back on my desk, moving forward. And while that was painful and frustrating and hard, it was beautiful. And I was able to really get decisive about what I wanted my business to look like moving forward. I was able to be a start-up with eight years of hindsight, and I was able to be a start-up with a beautiful, amazing network of awesome people. And I have had to grind harder this year than in a long, long time, probably since my days at Gaylord Hotels and at the same I have grown more this year then I can remember. And so, I'm moving forward with an extreme sense of gratitude for what that reset did for me. And I'm not saying it's even easy yet. It's not, but I see where I'm going and I'm having those short-term plans and I'm bubble wrapping, everything that needs to be bubble-wrapped. And I'm keeping that positive thought process. I'm seeking my mentors. I have my people environments in place. And I'm standing on my personal brands that I can move through my own process of the velvet machete leadership process. Steve Rush: And you can hear all of that coming through as well. And your mindset is to the untrained ear may not be very obvious, but to my trained ear, your mindset is beaming growth, open, positivity, and promotion. So, well done you! Amber Hurdle: Thank you. Thank you. Steve Rush: The last thing that I'd like to take you to is give you the chance to do some time travel. So, you get to now bump back into Amber at 21 and give her some advice. What's it going to be? Amber Hurdle: Stop being so damn hard on yourself. You are an amazing human being. You are full of gifts. You are perfect the way that you are. You don't need to change anything. There's nothing to fix. You just need to figure out who you are at your core, and then you need to become more of that. And as long as you're doing it in service to other people, you're going to be okay. Steve Rush: Super advice. And for other people listening to that, that's a great message too. So, for folks that have been listening to us talk today Amber, but I know they're going to want to listen to your podcast and find out a little bit more about the work that you do. And of course, developed machete and the bombshell businesswoman. Where's the best place we can send them as they finish listening to this. Amber Hurdle: Absolutely. I would love for you to visit amberhurdle.com/leadershipquiz. And you can take a quick quiz. It does not require an opt-in. Although I'd love to have you in my community. Is a quick quiz to allow you, to see the type of leadership personality that you have and how you show up, I will tell you what makes you the most influential and also what you might want to consider bubble wrapping. And I love this because even the more quiet leaders really get rallied around and they can see how amazing they are and that they don't have to be that big personality leader. And then if you go to amberhurdle.com, you can find the bombshell business podcast there, and then also opt-in for when we launch Velvet Machete Leadership Podcast.   Steve Rush: We'll also make sure there is links to the leadership quiz and all your other links are in our show notes, when we're done too. Amber Hurdle: And reach out to me on LinkedIn. I love getting to know people and following what you're doing in your career. Steve Rush: Amber, you've been an absolute, amazing guest. There is some super stories that you've been able to share with our listeners today. And on behalf of everyone that's listening in and on behalf of The Leadership Hacker Podcast. Thanks for joining the show. Amber Hurdle: Thank you so much. I just appreciate the opportunity to get to know you and serve your audience. Steve Rush: Thanks Amber.   Closing   Steve Rush: I genuinely want to say heartfelt thanks for taking time out of your day to listen in too. We do this in the service of helping others, and spreading the word of leadership. Without you listening in, there would be no show. So please subscribe now if you have not done so already. Share this podcast with your communities, network, and help us develop a community and a tribe of leadership hackers.   Finally, if you would like me to work with your senior team, your leadership community, keynote an event, or you would like to sponsor an episode. Please connect with us, by our social media. And you can do that by following and liking our pages on Twitter and Facebook our handler their @leadershiphacker. Instagram you can find us there @the_leadership_hacker and at YouTube, we are just Leadership Hacker, so that is me signing off. I am Steve Rush and I have been the leadership hacker.

If you are a team builder like me, you can use all the help that you can get to build a great team to support your mission and vision. This week's podcast brings to you talent optimizer, Amber Hurdle.  Amber and Brandon break down why great companies are built from the inside out and how to use data and branding to build great teams. Team building is always a big need for our listeners and this episode is filled with actionable tips to make you a better team builder. _____________________ For more listening options and several FREE resources provided by New Work Revolution, please visit GrowthandFreedom.media.  Also, if you enjoyed this episode please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a 5 star rating and review on iTunes! 

In this ep., Amir talks with talent optimization consultant, Amber Hurdle, about unlocking the potential for people and businesses to thrive by strengthening their brands from the inside out. For more: theghannadgroup.com/blog/ttlpodcast-073

In this episode, host Justin Osborn, ALC, speaks with guest Amber Hurdle, CEO of Amber Hurdle Consulting about the best ways for land agents to maximize their brand and become the go-to land expert in their area.

Amber Hurdle, author of The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave Female Entrepreneur, and branding expert, poses three key questions every entrepreneur must consider regarding personal branding. First, ask yourself: What problem you solve? Second, reflect on who you do this for specifically? And, third, think through how you solve the problem differently from your competition?

Regardless of the type of product you sell or the industry you're in, you're going to have competitors. Competition can make us feel fear, intimidation, and maybe even jealousy. So in this episode, I'll cover the "Dos and Don'ts" about interacting with and learning from your competition. My guest this week is Amber Hurdle, brand strategist, leadership consultant and host of the Bombshell Business Podcast. Amber will challenge us to take the emotions we feel surrounding competition and channel it into something positive. Our success story features the business, Snappy Stitch, created by Janet Wall and her daughter E.V. Bennett. Snappy Stitch provides cute, comfortable clothing for children undergoing medical treatments. Their business idea came out of their personal experience in hospitals. Plus, I'll answer your business questions from Business Boutique events! 1:10 Learning From Your Competition 18:16 Interview with Amber Hurdle 45:42 BB Success Story with Janet Wall and E.V. Bennett 55:25 #ASKCHRISTYWRIGHT 61:15 Homework Get Christy's SWOT Analysis worksheet by filling out the form here! - To save $10 on any Business Boutique Nashville ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. Sign up for the Business Boutique Academy at BusinessBoutique.com/Academy. - If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

Amber Hurdle uses her experience working with international celebrities and Fortune 500 companies to show small businesses how to play big.  As a communication and engagement expert, she helps entrepreneurs identify what they want to be known for so they can strategically tell their stories, grow their tribes, and ultimately fulfill their calling.

Amber Hurdle was forced to grow up quickly when she became a teen Mom.  From that point on, she realized that the journey might be tougher for her, but she had every reason in world to push past her struggles and become a success.  Amber knows what it is like to try tojuggle multiple roles and feel like your likfe is spinning out of control.  She has had to figure out how to life her best life and she can help you live yours too.  Amber offers coaching to entreprenuers and small business owners in her community.  She can help you get "unstuck"!  Hear how she motivates others to become all that they should be.