Podcasts about Because I Can

Leadership and communications consultants Tim Bradshaw and Paul Horwood draw upon training and experience from a wealth of backgrounds including the military, specialist intelligence operations, business and expeditions. They have developed a toolkit approach to leadership and communications believing that whilst process works well as a management tool, it often doesn't provide the required leadership effect to inspire and motivate in challenging circumstances. In previous episodes of the Because I Can podcast they and their guests have discussed past experiences and how they relate to the business sector, drawing out relevant lessons wherever possible. Moving forward the team are going to pick up on current topics and events seeing how a toolkit approach might be used to unravel them and build leadership behaviours. It all starts by focussing on Intelligence not information. 

He may be a successful vet, but people are at the heart of everything Paul Horwood does. Whether it is decision-making under pressure, creating positive and productive work environments, or effective communication, Paul says people are always the common denominator.In this episode of the How to Thrive podcast, co-hosts and sisters Claire Sanders and Helen Silver-MacMahon, explore Paul's ideas and find the links between his veterinary work, the legal profession and many other high-pressure work environments.Paul Horwood has had a fascinating career. He is a Veterinary Surgeon, former British Military Officer, and Co-Founder of Sandstone Communications. He also has his own podcast. Check out Because I Can.Your How to Thrive hosts:Claire Sanders, former Corporate Lawyer, General Council and Co-Founder of Being Human Consulting.Helen Silver-MacMahon, Human Factors Specialist, Veterinary Nurse and Co-Founder of Being Human Consulting.Music Credit: Lo-Fi Hip Hop (Never Old Fashioned) by Alex Kizenkov Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This show is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC I LIKE TO LISTEN TO!  Can you tell me the last time I even said my own name in any hour of the show?  I mention the show's title, but, my name…NOPE! Why? Because it ain't about me!  The show is about serving these underserved artists…BECAUSE I CAN!  If I do ever say my name, it's to ridicule myself for a screw up or wrong pronunciation!  I make no money doing this show.  I do it all to get the music, the artist, heard at my own expense!  I play what I like to listen to, because so few stations play what I like to hear!  I wish you peace and hope you can find serenity in your inner quest.  The Music Authority Podcast...listen, like, comment, download, share, repeat…heard daily on Podchaser, Deezer, Amazon Music, Audible, Listen Notes, Mixcloud, Player FM, Tune In, Podcast Addict, Cast Box, Radio Public, and Pocket Cast, and APPLE iTunes!  Follow the show on TWITTER JimPrell@TMusicAuthority!  Please, are you listening? Please, are you sharing the podcast?  Please, has a podcast mention been placed into your social media?  How does and can one listen in? Let me list the ways...*Podcast -  https://themusicauthority.transistor.fm/   The Music Authority Podcast!  Special Recorded Network Shows, too!  Different than my daily show! *Radio Candy Radio Monday Wednesday, & Friday 7PM ET, 4PM PT*Rockin' The KOR Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7PM UK time, 2PM ET, 11AM PT  www.koradio.rocks*Pop Radio UK Friday, Saturday, & Sunday 6PM UK, 1PM ET, 10AM PT!  *The Sole Of Indie  https://soleofindie.rocks/  Monday Through Friday 6-7PM EST!July 18, 2023, Tuesday, row three…Red Moon Joe - 09 Girl From Your Hometown [Sounds of the Northwest]The Splatter Pattern - Higgs Boson [While We Were Making Plans]@King Size - 08 Screaming [King Size]JJ & The Real Jerks - 01 Lost Souls Pub [Lost Souls Pub] (Rum Bar Records)The Heartdrops - 07 Frustration In The City [East Side Drive] (Rum Bar Records)Dieselboy - Viking Funeral [Dirty Dishes]Colossal Street Jam - 6. Look It Here [No Way To Live]Janne Borgh - 06 - Lucinda Payne [FanClub] (koolkatmusik.com)Emperor of Ice Cream - 04 Know Me [William]@Eric H. F. Law - 01 Recreate [Recreate]Swansea Sound - Keep Your Head On [Twentieth Century]Petty Human Emotions - 01 Something New [Petty Human Emotions]Psychotic Youth - 15 - Home Alone [New Wonders 1996-2021] (koolkatmusik.com)The Projectors - Concessions [The Projectors] (@Sakamano Records)The Brae - These Are The Days [Start Right Now]Brandon Schott - 03- Thank You For Being A Friend [Drink A Toast To Innocence- A Tribute To Lite Rock] (Curry Cuts)

Learn the secrets Jeannie Olsen, owner of Vibe Jewelry, uses to generate over $10,000 in a single day at craft shows. She shares how she's transitioning her business from booths to the online space, her insights on the best shows to attend, and how to protect your money at craft show booths. You'll gain valuable tips on how to apply Jeannie's strategies to your own e-commerce business in this episode of the How to Sell Online Podcast.Connect with Jeannie Olsen:Shop VIBE Jewelry at https://www.vibejewelrycompany.com/use code icanfam20 for 20% off your purchase (for a limited time)On Instagram @vibejewelrycoOn Facebook @VibejewelrycoConnect with Alison:On Facebook:@alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceGet your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/life-planner-order2Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-pageMentioned In This Episode:Podcast episode with Mandy SawchukPodcast episode with Rebeca Miller

Selling large, high-end products is not only possible but can be very profitable.  Katie Meitzler and her husband have built a successful online business doing just that.  In this episode of How to Sell Online, Katie shares how they keep their customers happy and coming back to buy more, what they've learned and implemented to reduce overwhelm, how they continue to produce high quality products but were able to increase their profits and how she's using TikTok to help grow her business.  Listen now to find out how she's grown a business that allows her to be home, involved with her kids and doing something she loves.Connect with Katie:Website: www.redfoxprimitives.comInstagram: @redfoxprimitivesInstagram: @katieameitzlerConnect with Alison:Facebook @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceGet your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/life-planner-order2Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Choosing a product to sell online is easy—because virtually anything can sell. Alison shares surprising products that are selling out fast and the answers to some of the most common questions she gets in her inbox. She also talks productivity, where to buy shipping supplies, and why the product you sell today doesn't have to be the product you sell forever. Connect with Alison:On FacebookOn InstagramGet your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/life-planner-order2Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Are you being held back by guilt or fear? Heather Chauvin, author of Dying to be a Good Mother, joins Alison to share how to get out of a state of survival and achieve fulfillment and happiness. You'll also find out why focusing on the life you want to live is the first step in achieving business success, followed by leaving your comfort zone behind.Mentioned In This Episode:-Purchase Heather Chauvin's book, Dying to Be a Good Mother, on Amazon or wherever books are sold. -Take the Aligned Life Quiz on Heather's website, HeatherChauvin.comConnect with Alison:-Facebook: @alisonjprince-Instagram: @alisonjprince-Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/life-planner-order2-Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-pageMentioned In This Episode:Purchase Heather Chauvin's book, Dying to Be a Good Mother, on Amazon or wherever books are sold. Take the Aligned Life Quiz on Heather's website, HeatherChauvin.com

Working with influencers is one of the best ways to grow your online business exponentially.  Find out where you can find influencers when you have a specialized product as Sara Olsher of Mighty + Bright talks to Alison about how finding a powerful group of influencers came as a result of one of the hardest times in her life: when she was fighting cancer.  During her interview with Alison, Sara shares about the product that took her years to fully perfect and how she's expanded that single product to suit a variety of audiences. She also outlines her specific methods for reaching out to influencers that she thinks she can help AND partner with. Get the details in this episode of the How to Sell Online podcast.- Shop with Sara at Mighty + Bright- Connect with Alison on Facebook and Instagram- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) here- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business here  

Selling print-on-demand products online is a great way to generate profits without having to deal with stocking inventory. Lisa Webb talks to Alison about how she's hit multiple six figures selling on Etsy and her own site. She shares the pros and cons of tee-shirt sales, what led her to create a new business model for one of her companies, and why it was so essential to her to launch her own eCommerce website. Alison and Lisa also talk about the importance of charging what your product is worth instead of trying to be the cheapest.  - Shop with Lisa on Etsy at DollyMocks and SonderSquareConnect with Alison:- Facebook @alisonjprince - Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) here- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business here

Find out which business model is the right one for you to sell physical products online in this episode. There are actually a lot to choose from. But three of the most common are drop shipping, multi-level marketing (also known as MLMs), and running a traditional online retail store (aka eCommerce). These are the same options Alexis Cassar, today's guest on the How to Sell Online podcast, has explored in her entrepreneurial journey—and she's learned a great deal in the process. She's sharing her experiences with Alison, including the pros and cons of each option, the unique vibe she's harnessed in her online store, and ideas for driving even more business. - Shop Alexis Cassar's website, ShopDaisyDunes.com, use code JP for 10% (limited time offer)- Follow Alexis on social @DaisyDunesStore- To learn more about running paid social ads, listen to this episode: https://www.alisonjprince.com/podcast/3-things-to-know-about-facebook-ads/-To Hear Wendy's glitter story mentioned in this episode, listen here:https://www.alisonjprince.com/podcast/wendy-kesl-6-figures-glitter/- Connect with Alison on Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page 

Talent and know-how can only get you so far in creating and building an online business. Learn the 3 things that will help you make 2023 your best year yet—and hear Alison share how to put them into action right now in this episode of the How to Sell Online Podcast.- Connect with Alison on Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page 

Learn how to increase sales with storytelling, one of the most powerful tools that you can use as an online seller to connect with your customers!  In a few captivating lines, you can build relationships that have people buying from you once, and then coming back again and again. Jude Charles understands the powerful connection between storytelling and selling and is laying down a ton of knowledge during today's episode—including how to do it. He guides us all through how and why storytelling boosts meaning along with why and how to become better at sharing stories about our products.- Learn More About Jude at: https://judecharles.co/-Sign up for Jude's newsletter at: https://judecharles.co/list- Find Jude's Story Bank Journal at: https://judecharles.gumroad.com/l/cqoct- Study referenced in the interview: https://significantobjects.com/>>>- Connect with Alison on Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page 

Get inspired, learn top business tips, and have some “aha” moments of your own as you listen (or re-listen) to clips from 2022's top 5 episodes of the How to Sell Online podcast. But that's not all! Prepare for some feel-good goosebumps when you hear about how much Alison's students have given to help those in need—in ways that can change the destiny of future generations. Plus, Alison's also sharing some fascinating key business metrics with you that just might surprise you. #1 The Secret to Online Store Success(126 - Kim Henrie)#2 4 Secrets to Building a $1 Million Wholesale Business(124 - Krista Jones)#3 Start an Online Store with Handmade Products(120 - Kacey Beal)#4 Over 11,000 Orders Shipped in Less Than a Year(123 - Khalpana Vel)#5 4 Things You Can Do to Add Positivity to Your Life and Business(118 - Trinity Luzader) Connect with Alison:- Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Goal setting in business is essential! If you don't know where you're going, you're never going to get there.   Alison helps JaLyn Morris—the owner of Morris Made—discover her true business goals through a step-by-step, start-at-the-beginning process. Applying this same process to your own online store gives you the information you need to set your own goals. - Shop with JaLyn at: https://www.shopmorrismade.com/- Find JaLyn on Instagram and Facebook: @shopmorrismade Connect with Alison:- Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Alison shares 4 easy-to-follow steps you can take to prepare for economic hurricanes. You can stay in business or even start the one you've been thinking about, even though all we hear about in the news is a bad economy.  Don't let fear stop you from building a strong online business that will withstand a bad economy. - Follow Alison on Facebook and Instagram @alisonjprice-Get your free Because I Can planner(you just pay shipping) https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page Episode Resources:- One Sec App: https://one-sec.app/- Answer The Public: https://answerthepublic.com/- Type Form: https://www.typeform.com/

Learn why big influencers aren't necessarily the best ones to promote your product and what kind you should be looking for to help grow your online business.  Alison is also celebrating #CanWins from her 0-$100K community and answering questions about how to get more customer reviews, what to do when you hit a sales plateau, the percentage you should pay influencers, and how to use collaborations to boost product sales.   -Find more from Alison on Facebook and Instagram @alisonjprince-Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner-Sign up for Alison's signature 0-100K program at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

How can you stop procrastinating due to fear and talking yourself out of something you know could be amazing? Jill Stanton, creator of Millionaire Girls Club, joined me during a live training session to discuss those questions and more. Her own experiences have taught her—and will teach you in this episode—how to surrender to what's aligned with you, take action, and go with the flow of what's happening instead of constantly trying to go against the current. And be sure to listen for how and why to make what's most familiar, unfamiliar. (It's so good!) - Follow Alison on Instagram and Facebook @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner - Listen to Jill's first podcast episode at https://www.alisonjprince.com/podcast/jill-stanton-play-to-win/-Follow Jill Stanton on Instagram @themillionairegirlsclub

Diving into hot topics today, including deciding whether to start just one online store or multiple online businesses. Whether marketplaces are always the right place to start selling. Determining whether to sell a product you're passionate about…or just choose something that will get you going faster. How to make working with friends or family more effective (and when—gulp—you might have to fire someone you love) and why you'll probably stink it up the first time. Listen in on a live coaching from one of Alison's private Facebook groups.Connect with Alison:- Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner

How can you turn your hobby into a profitable online business?  Donna Beavers has done just that. She joined Alison's 0-100K System and now not only does she make money from her hobby, but she has also grown her business to the point where she was able to quit her job and makes enough to support her entire family.  She shares her story, what she did to create a successful business doing what she loves, and gives several tips that you can implement in your own business model today.- Follow Donna on Instagram @3amgracedesigns and Facebook @3amgracedesigns- Find Donna at 3amgracedesigns.com- Learn how to crochet the Kawaii Cuddler Way with Donna: crochetfastpass.com  - Get Alison's free Because I Can planner  here (you just pay shipping) - Join Alison's 0-100K System here- Follow Alison on Instagram @alisonjprince and Facebook @alisonjprince

When you're selling online, you have a lot to focus on--but it's critical to never lose sight of your profit margins. Heidi Payne, the founder of Go Charlotte, is on the podcast to talk about what led her to online entrepreneurship, how she learned the importance of pricing strategies, and what she credits with keeping her motivated and moving forward.   - Shop with Heidi at ShopGoCharlotte.com- Find Go Charlotte on Instagram @gocharlottehome - Connect with Alison on Facebook and Instagram @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Click to learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Brian Page, author of “Don't Start a Side Hustle” is on the How to Sell Online podcast to talk about different types of “passive-preneurs”, how to save time building your business through modeling, and why it's important to surround yourself with people who possess the skillsets you need. - Get Brian's New Book at https://brian.page/book/- Follow Brian on social at @bpagester - Follow Alison on FB & IG @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn more about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

If you've ever considered buying a laser cutter to start or build your online store, Edye Wagstaff is on the How to Sell Online podcast to talk all about it. She talks about what lasers work best for her, the kinds of products she started with…and how she's grown her online business by listening to her customers. Find out how and why she and her husband have made their company, Boulton and Grand, a six-figure success.   - Find Edye's shop at https://boultonandgrande.com/- Find Edye on Facebook and Instagram @boultonandgrande -Find Alison on Facebook and Instagram @alisonjprince- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) https://go.alisonjprince.com/clanner-planner- Learn more about the 0-100K System at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page

Alison shares the method she uses to create habits that stick and help in both her business and personal life.  It is so easy that even her kids use this method to create good habits too.  Find out how you can create a Choose Checklist and start working on habits that will stick to help you grow your online store.She calls this method the 5C's and shared the training with her eCommerce students in an online workshop.  She considered not releasing this recording because it's not the typical "podcast format" but the info was too good not to share.  Here's to creating habits that stick!Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline: alisonjprince.com

Imagine knowing the secret to what the BIGGEST companies have in common—and being able to put it to work in your online business. You know the secret I'm talking about, right? The one they use to make sure customers don't just shop once…but come back to make a repeat purchase. And another purchase after that.Alison shares that secret and the 4 steps you can take to get repeat business today on this episode of the How to Sell Online podcast.CONNECT WITH ALISON:FACEBOOK: @alisonjprinceINSTAGRAM:@alisonjprinceONLINE: alisonjprince.com

The How to Sell Online podcast is a little different for this episode—because I let my team jump in and take it over. I'll be honest: hitting 150 episodes is exciting, but what I love is getting to hear from people who have been guests on the show or those who have gained insight from it. Sharing their stories, their successes and their how-to's is the reason I started this podcast.   Today's episode delivers a HUGE dose of inspiration and education—and my fingers are crossed that you'll enjoy and learn from it.Find more from Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline:  alisonjprince.com

When it comes to building awareness of your online store, Instagram reels, TikTok and other short-form videos are kind of a must. So having an expert like Elise Darma guide you through how to make the most of your efforts is a huge deal and she's on this episode helping us to actually AVOID Instagram reel mistakes by telling us some of the things she wishes she had (or hadn't) done.This is the FINAL (boo!) installment in our three-episode series with Elise. If you haven't listened to the other two yet, YOU MUST. The information she shares in those is fantastic. Binge, binge, BINGE them.Listen along as Elise explains the 8 mistakes you're making with your Instagram reels and how you can avoid them when promoting your online store and eCommerce business.Find more from Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline:  alisonjprince.com 

Entrepreneur, author, business consultant, and sought-after speaker Dean Graziosi is on today's episode to talk about comfort zones, unfair advantages, and how to turn what you know into something that can help others.He's also sharing information about his upcoming Mastermind.com 5-Day event featuring his business partner Tony Robbins along with other thought leaders. Download and listen now. Connect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline: alisonjprince.com 

Okay, we are talking TikTok today on the podcast with two women who are putting it to work in growing their online businesses. Yep—you read that right. Listen, I know that a lot of people think about TikTok as kind of the social media wild west. In a way, maybe it is, because entrepreneurs like you and me are working to figure it out. (Admittedly watching a couple of talking cat videos here and there.) So imagine me chatting with two of my favorite eCommerce business owners (Mae Cee and Donna Beavers) and suddenly having a major TikTok triumph tossed at me!As in the kind where Mae announces that in 5 days—and starting with a whopping ZERO followers on the platform—TikTok drove in over $30k in sales for an online store she runs with her daughter Izy, The Funnel Cake Tree.Oh my heavens. Are you kidding me? Um, no. No she was not. Which is why YOU are going to want to download this episode right now. (Why are you waiting?! Get that download started.)  Additional Resources:Izy's Website: TheFunnelCakeTree.comOn TikTok: @thefunnelcaketreeMae's Website: 923byDesign.comOn TikTok: @maeceeteesDonna's Website: 3AMGraceDesigns.comOn TikTok:@3amgracedesignsConnect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOn TikTok: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

I don't know a single person out there that doesn't want to increase their online sales. Heck--why on earth would you be in eCommerce if you DIDN'T want to be more profitable? My guess is that you're working REALLY HARD to hit your profitability goals in your online store. That you're doing everything possible and that you're trying to get everything precisely right. Well, social media expert Elise Darma is back on the podcast with me to talk about why doing LESS work is one of the best ways to get MORE sales. She is also talking about—and I LOVE this—why there are times when being less precious (aka—less perfect) will help you connect far better with your ideal customers. Elise is incredibly knowledgeable, a lot of fun, and will have you rethinking your eCommerce social media approach. Start listening now.About My GuestElise Darma is an Instagram marketing educator who specializes in helping not-so-Insta-famous business people make REAL revenue directly from the free app in a way that is bearable and efficient. She's helped over 20,000 people truly grow their businesses, sell more programs and build money-making brandsWhere to Find Elise:Online: EliseDarma.comOn Instagram: @elisedarmaOn YouTube: youtube.com/ElisaDarmaOn TikTok @elsedarmaPrevious podcast episodes: Why You Are Not Growing on InstagramAre TikTok and Reels Really Necessary for eCommerce BrandsAdditional ResourcesConnect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline: alisonjprince.com>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

“It's like a big warm hug.” Okay, how do you argue with a sentiment like that? You don't—which is why Tien Nguyen has seen such incredible eCommerce success with her soft, customized and beautiful hand knitted blankets.  My friend, as you'll learn on today's podcast, Tien didn't always have that level of success. In fact, when she first joined the 0-100K System—one of the courses I teach—she only had $300 in her bank account. THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Can you imagine? But she took a leap of faith and started her amazing journey—and it's a journey that I think will fascinate you. Here's why: because as she shares it with you on the podcast, she identifies the very specific steps she's taken (and still takes) to keep her business growing. So get ready to learn about hugs, reels, TikTok videos…and how many amazing hand knit blankets Tien has shipped out. (Warning: your jaw is probably gonna drop a bit.) Listen now. Additional Resources:Shop with Tien: IsabellaRoseStore.comSpecial Offer: Use the code ICAN to enjoy 15% off your order for Tien's entire store Follow Tien on social media: Instagram: @isabellarosestore.comFacebook: @isabellarosestore.comTikTok: @isabellarosestore.comConnect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceWebsite: https://www.alisonjprince.com/>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

Timothy Bradshaw is former British Army Intelligence Officer and graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. His work as a Covert Human Intelligence Officer and Target Acquisition Patrol Soldier saw him recruit and run foreign agents worldwide and influence the outcome of extremely sensitive and dangerous situations. Recently, he's been running aid missions to the Ukraine. He's a keynote speaker and author of the book, “Because I Can”. This is packed full of leadership lessons including: Leaders need to make decisions under pressure, how different was that in the military and what can we learn from that. The secret sauce to resilience and overcoming challenges. Why wanting to quit is normal and how can we overcome that. Why is the military approach to leadership is a good blueprint for business.   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 Tim below: Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-bradshaw/ Tim's Books: Because I Can Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimBecauseICan Tim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timothy.bradshaw/ Tim's Website: https://www.timothybradshaw.net   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   Our special guest on today's show is Tim Bradshaw. He's a foreign British Army Intelligence Officer and recruited and run foreign agents worldwide as a Human Intelligent Officer. He's also the author of a great book, Because I can, but before we get a chance to speak with Tim, it's The Leadership Hacker News. The Leadership Hacker News Steve Rush: Leadership is about us everywhere. And I wanted to dive in to find some funny, and innovative ways of us, bringing some of those leadership lessons to life. So, if ever you've watched a movie Star Wars or any of the Star Wars Trilogy, you'll find loads of leadership lessons packed within there. Yoda is one of my favorites. He has this great saying that said. Do or not do, there is no try. And I'm often using that lighthearted analogy with any of my coaching conversations, but a long time ago in a galaxy far away, the leadership lessons were created amongst this epic series of films. So, here's a few, it's been proven that being born with talent is not enough. As we all know, Luke Skywalker is born with a natural talent to be a Jedi. Yet when, we watch the movies. We know that was not a given. He had to work hard at that. We watched Luke come to grips with putting himself in challenging situations and homing in on that force. And there are traits of good leadership, but true leadership takes place, self-reflection and mentoring, which we also saw through their relationship with Yoda. Adaptability is also a key leadership lesson throughout the Star Wars movies, all of those Star Wars movies demonstrate that life does not always go to plan. And if you are rigid in your plans are stuck in your ways, you're not going to win. From Han Solo, adapting, a broken hyper drive by hiding by the rubbish shoot instead of a surprise alliance along the way. If you're able to adapt and think quickly, you're able to lead a team through any surprises. We know it's okay to ask for help as leaders. Sometimes you can't get yourself out of a situation without calling on someone else. When Princess Leia was in a bind, she'd always know the right people to call and ask for help without hesitation. Some good leaders need other good leaders to advise them on their journey. And the one thing that is really true across all of the movies that chasing power is the path to the dark side. Leaders undeniably have power and authority, but leadership is much more than that. Once you begin to be at attracted to power and to chase power, you are heading to the dark side. Good leadership is all about sharing power and authority and creating more leaders. It's about people with good ideas and evolving those good ideas so that everyone becomes more powerful. So, the next time you hear yourself saying, I'll try, just think you've been Yoda. Do or don't do, there is no try. Let's get into the show. Start of Podcast Steve Rush: Timothy Bradshaw, is a special guest on today's show. He's a former British Army Intelligence Officer and graduate of the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst. His work as a Covert Human Intelligent Officer and Target Acquisition Patrol Soldier saw him recruit and run foreign agents worldwide and influence the outcome of extremely sensitive and dangerous situations. Recently Tim's been running missions to Ukraine, delivering really, really important aid. He's a keynote speaker and he's also the author of the book, Because I can. Tim, welcome to the show. Timothy Bradshaw: Thanks Steve. Thanks very much for having me on. Steve Rush: Really looking forward to getting into the diverse world of Timothy Bradshaw. And remember from the first time that you met and how you described what you did in the army and in your work as an Intelligence Officer, I think I might have called you the James Bond [laugh] at the time. Timothy Bradshaw: I mean, that's very flattering and unfortunately every time somebody says that I caught so much flack off all of my friends, but. Steve Rush: [Laugh]. Timothy Bradshaw: I'll take it Steve. I've definitely been called worse things. Steve Rush: I think your response to me at the time, Tim, if I remember rightly was, and you might have had the work of James Bond, but you certainly didn't have the dinner suits and the expense account. Timothy Bradshaw: No, absolutely not. And I'm still waiting for the Aston Martin as well. Steve Rush: That's it, yeah. So, tell us a little bit about you Tim, your early backstory and give that listens a little bit of a spin through to how you've arrived to do what you do. Timothy Bradshaw: It's not that exciting, Steve really, which I think is almost kind of the point. You know, we talk about resilience and all this sort of stuff and actually I haven't done anything that essentially anybody else couldn't have done if they wanted to. I did my A-levels. I finished school. I kind of looked at university alongside everybody else and realized that I was doing that really, because that was kind of what everybody else did. Not really what my sort of passion was, and maybe there's a bit of a theme there that'll continue. So, I was offered a place to go to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. I literally just turned 18 in the October and went in the January. So was really very young. I quite often laugh when we talk about leadership. My first ever job out of school was sort of leading 37 soldiers aged 19, by the time I got to that point. And frankly probably wasn't very good at it. Who's very good at their first ever job out of school, but I had a lot of training, and a lot of backups. So, made the best I could really. I've kind of never really done anything else. So very much experienced based career, I guess. And I did that and that was the kind of the mid-nineties. And I went out to Germany. Ironically, it's really funny looking back now, I say funny, slightly tongue in cheek, but obviously we were very much kind of the end of the sort of cold war doctrine and everything we were looking at was very much basically about the Russian Army coming across the Eastern German planes which with what's going on now, obviously out in Ukraine, seems a little bit surreal, to be honest. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: But anyway, and I sort of did that for a bit and it was bit of a lull really, an activity, certainly for the sort of regular army at the time. And then I pursued a career in training after I served out my commission and subsequently once sort of Iraq and Afghanistan kicked off, I looked to go back to the military. I felt as though I had kind of unfinished business and hadn't finished serving yet. I've always had quite a strong desire to serve rightly or wrongly. So, I decided to go back and a friend of mine had said to me, oh, you should look at, you know, look at reserves and I said, crikey you're joking. You know, to me, the TA sort of, as was, was dad's army. And, you know, that's absolutely not the case anymore. So, I went through a patrol selection course, which is a particularly arduous sort of running over the Hills, big ruck sacks, small teams, very much becoming self-reliant, self-sufficient, relying on your teammates in small groups as a buildup, really to go towards Afghanistan. And then I kind of thought to myself, well, if I'm going to do this, I want to do something that perhaps my interim years as a civilian brings something to the party rather than putting me behind the curve. So Human Intelligence is, is exactly that, it's about building relationships and influence. And actually, you know, we always sort of joke, but if you having to use the cars as the guns, you've kind of got it wrong, essentially. It's absolutely about building relationships and influencing people. So, bit of a sucker for punishment, really, I put myself through yet another grueling selection process. Steve Rush: [laugh]. Timothy Bradshaw: Its theme isn't it, really. And we did that. I passed a course and then what ensued was a fascinating few years working with some truly inspirational people on all sides of the divide, really. Some of those obviously worked for essentially terrorist organizations. Some of those were people that absolutely keen to help their communities. But the theme was always the same. It was always about relationships and influence. And I was doing some keynote speaking the other day and I sort of laughed and somebody ask, how could you sum it up? And I was trying to think of a sort of corporate analogy. And I said, well, imagine trying to lead or influence somebody that not only do they not work for you, but in fact they work for your biggest competitor. And that was about the best I could come up with really. Obviously trying to persuade somebody who has very strong views of their own that actually there might be a different way or a better path and to give you, essentially feed you in intelligence. So yeah, so that's what we did. Did that for a few years, which was truly fascinating. Couple of tour Afghanistan. I did point out to somebody recently whose head went down a little bit talking about lockdown. And I think I calculated that I have actually spent more time in Afghanistan than I have in lockdown. Steve Rush: Wow, yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: And I don't actually know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, to be honest with you, but it is a fact. And then I think having left the military. Again, I have a very low boredom threshold Steve, which I think is, probably the theme. But actually, for me, I've always been quite a big advocate of mental health. I've always struggled a little bit with sort of depression and anxiety. It's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just the way my brain works really. And you know, it's a bit like a bank account in some of the respects. You take out, so therefore you have to pay back in. Anyway, we decided as a team must that we try and climb Mount Everest and shout from the highest point on earth that it was okay to ask for help. So, we did, we picked the wrong year. We did it in 2015, which those of you that into mountaineering or the region will know was when all the sort of major earthquakes hit. So, we found ourselves in the middle of one of the biggest natural disasters sorts of ever to happen, certainly in that region, really. So again, it kind of turned on its head our whole outlook on what was going on and certainly tested our resilience in a very different way to the one we perhaps spent two years planning and training to do. Which again, I think we talk about leadership aren't we Steve really. For me, that's one of the themes is, it's that ability to flex, adapt and overcome actually, rather than when it's all going perfectly. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: And then, yeah, and then having done that, we've transitioned into doing this and we do all sorts of wacky stuff. And then we now run a company. And for me it's about, can I share my lessons as accurately as possible? We were joking, weren't we Steve, just before we went live that there's a lot of self-help stuff around, you know, and it's like, yeah, get a growth mindset, do this and do that. And you kind of think, yeah, I'll do that, how? Steve Rush: Yeah, exactly. Timothy Bradshaw: And that's really what the book was about. The book was a kind of user guide almost to dealing with some of these problems. So rather than a kind of conceptual you know, big yourself up and feel better, it was right, do this. When this happens, do this [laugh] and I guess that then led, I was sitting on the sofa, we were watching what's happening in Ukraine. And my now wife looked at me and said, you could probably do something to help that couldn't you. And I said, yes, I can. And she said, well, then you should. So, we put a team together and we've now delivered three quite successful aid missions. But I would think the point I'd like to make is, that we've built a network of people inside Ukraine. So, we've got live communications almost on a daily basis. So, we know exactly what people need and what challenges that they're facing. And we are taking that aid specifically and delivering it directly to the people that need it. So, we met, appreciate we're not going to share their names here, but we shared directly, we drove out to Kyiv, which is where we were last week. And we met with these groups, and we hand over exactly what they need. And fortunately, that's captured the imagination of a number of large corporate businesses that have really helped us out actually. Steve Rush: Right. Timothy Bradshaw: But I think that's because again, it's not faceless. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: Steve, I think that comes back to our theme of kind of leadership and relationships, right? Steve Rush: Does Tim, yeah. And homage to you genuinely. One of the things I know about you Tim, is that you see danger very differently to other people that I've, you know, come into contact with specifically in the business world. You almost see this as an opportunity, it's alluring for you. And I just wondered to, I wanted to unpack a little bit about that with you, because it seems to me that you are almost attracted to that danger and ambiguity that comes with things like running an aid mission to Kiev. Timothy Bradshaw: I think, I'm not I'm necessarily attractive to it, but I certainly see opportunity in it. So, we often at the moment sort of voker is quite a big thing, right? Vulnerable, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, and we can use all the analogies you want. But for me, there's always then opportunity because if everything is absolutely, you know, tickly, boom and perfect and jogging along then we often joke that's the point that you need effective management rather than necessarily an effective leadership. And I think if you look at sport as an example, you know, if you look at rugby in offense, you're trying to create a break in the back line, right. Or if you see a break in the back line, then there's the gap that you need to get through for your Canadian and American listeners, that's a real sport where you don't wear armor and helmet and stuff. Steve Rush: [Laugh], nothing like a little bit of counter finishing in the mix there. Timothy Bradshaw: [Laugh] But by understand that the theory is probably very much the same, you know, you are looking for that break in the back line, right, to go through the gap. And I think that the same is true. I'm sure it's true in ice hockey. But I think the same is true in business. If everything is the same, then you are unlikely to either improve or get a different result. And for me as an effective leader, really, you should be seeking out the change or the opportunity, but of course that's uncomfortable for people. So, if you can create a toolkit that enables you to initially deal, I guess, with like the biological reaction to change and stress and then see clearly and find the opportunity. So yes, I mean, Steve, I do see it as an opportunity, but that's because if something's changing, then maybe it's a chance to get in front, you know, if anyone watch the Formula 1 that was on at the weekend, the minute it rains, the teams down the back of the grid a little bit, see an opportunity, don't they? Steve Rush: Yeah Timothy Bradshaw: And it's the same theory. Steve Rush: Absolutely, yeah. So, in terms of your experience of diving into Ukraine recently, you talk about resilience in your work a lot. What have you noticed about the resilience of the people in some of those war tone areas you've met recently? Timothy Bradshaw: Oh, I mean, Steve. It's phenomenal. I was trying to describe this to somebody the other day. It's both harrowing and inspirational in the same breath. You know, you're talking to people, some people have lost their whole homes, their families and everything else, but then those same people have a look in their eye, and they are not taking a step backwards. They are refusing to take a backwards step. And that would be enough for me to want to support them regardless of any benefit to the UK or anybody else anyway. Because I just always think that level of courage should be at least supported if not rewarded. But again, you know, when we go into businesses and we talk about clear communication and perhaps more importantly, a unifying purpose, you know, a focus and outcome that we're trying to achieve, then that's the ultimate outcome isn't it, right? When somebody invade your country. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: That defense of your home or your family. I mean, that has to be the kind of ultimate unifying purpose I would think. Steve Rush: And I suspect, and you'll know this more than most. In war tone situations, period, you find a deeper, more meaningful resilience than you'd ever have anticipated in the world of business. I mean, the things that we get stuck up and worried about and stressed about in our world of business, pale insignificance in those situations, don't they? Timothy Bradshaw: Well, there's no way-out Steve, which is what I think's interesting, okay. Steve Rush: Right. Timothy Bradshaw: So, I remember talking to somebody about special operations, special duties, special forces, selection processes, and the theme all over the world different, you know, every country has its own variance, but the theme is always one the same, it's adapted and overcome and adapt and overcome. But actually, if you talk to the selection teams, a lot of them will tell you that the biggest dropout rate is in fact, not on the course, is the day before because people get the jitters the day before they go, because they are anticipating what's coming. And they have an option. So, they don't turn up, they talk themselves out of it or believe it or not, the vast majority of people that go through all these processes, they don't get failed. They what's called VW, they voluntarily withdraw. In other words, they quit because they have an option to quit. Steve Rush: Right. Timothy Bradshaw: And I think when we work with businesses, there is always an option to quit. And I think when we, you know, implement something new, push ahead with a new process or a system or a change, whatever that might be, there's always the option to go back to where we were before or to opt out. And I think when the pressure comes on and when you get nervous that kind of opt out to your comfort zone becomes more alluring, right? Steve Rush: Right, yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: When somebody has invaded your country [laugh] and it's your home, you just don't have that option. So, you have to keep marching forwards almost at all costs. And that's why I think in these situations you see such, all inspiring levels of sort of courage and resilience because the option to sort of take the easier routes gone, is it's been removed. So, people dig really deep and they find whatever it is that's, you know, inside themselves. Steve Rush: I love the whole notion of there is no get out. There's no plan B philosophy. And that forms mindset that we talked a little bit about earlier. So, there's an example where you can't teach that, you have to experience it in order to shift and create the right set of mindsets. But I do wonder if we apply that level thinking, can that impact on our mindset, do you think? Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, because I think once you've done it once or twice and you've proven to yourself, you can, which is for me where the sort of, title for the book came, Because I Can. Then what happens is, you kind of build confidence and it's almost like any new skill you pick up, you know, whether that's a sport or learning to drive or whatever. You go, oh, I can do that. And then you do it just once and you go, I can. And I always say to people, not enough people debrief the wins, you know, we're very quick to debrief the losses, but the problem is, we still don't know what good looks like. Whereas actually I mean, you know, I've been a ski instructor and stuff like that in the past. It's a passion of mine. And if you're teaching something to ski and they get it right, and you go, wow, that was amazing. Do that again, that was excellent. They can repeat it. And they have the confidence and the courage almost to repeat it, if that makes sense. And I think that's super, super important. And then you can start to instill that mindset in somebody. So, we have this expression that if you can reward the behaviors that you want to see again, that is ultimately how you change a mindset. And I think certainly professional services businesses at the moment, we have this impression that performance is this kind of perfect thing all the time. And somebody does something 95% correct but we jump on the 5% that they got wrong, and you know, we call them out on it. And then we're surprised when that person doesn't come back to us for more feedback. Steve Rush: Yeah, so what was the inspiration for the book, Tim? Timothy Bradshaw: I think it was an idea I had in my head for ages. I'm certainly not academic in any way, shape, or form. For me, it was probably the furthest I've ever been outside of my comfort zone, to be honest. So, I kind of started it and therefore had to finish it. And I just wanted to have a little bit of a user guide for people. You know, you do seminars and you do keynote speaking and you kind of hand out notes and PDFs and it's all bit old hat, isn't it? So, I just sort of let's do something a bit different. So, a lot stuff I talk about is in the book, but in terms of, don't do that, do this type of a way. So, I guess a bit sort of, I don't know, user guide, that was the idea Steve Rush: And the whole notion of because I can, is that self-talk almost to say that anything is possible, right? Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, absolutely. The whole thing, because I think sometimes you just have to remind myself, I can do this. I can do this. You know, I've been through various selection processes. We've talked about before, down various big mountains and on a number of occasions, I've found myself having to remind myself like, you've got this, you can do this. And I think it's also, it's about finding ways to do something, finding ways to make something happen. You know, we were talking in the past about leadership and taking decisions under pressure. And how does the military impact on that? And I don't think that the military necessarily guarantees somebody becomes a good leader. But it does guarantee that you become a kind of a good decision maker. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: But the one thing that is really interesting when you work with the military is there is never any question that we are going to do anything other than achieve the task, if that makes sense. Steve Rush: Yeah, it does. Timothy Bradshaw: So, the whole theme is focused on achieving the aim. And that's probably the biggest takeout and and that's a theme that runs through the book is, this is what we're going to do. So how do we make it happen? Accepting we're perhaps going to change course a couple of times and you know, it might evolve a little bit, that's okay. But fundamentally, how do we make it happen? Steve Rush: I'm pretty sure it was you in the past Tim, actually, that taught me that in the military, the first thing you get to learn as a leader is, you have to make a decision. Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, that's right. Steve Rush: Tell me a little bit about that because I think that's a really interesting frame of mind that, you know, when you are still in a relatively young leadership position or indeed you're running a global organization, is that making the decision is key, right? Timothy Bradshaw: So, yeah, I think it wobbles. It's really funny. It's a great analogy, right. We've all done it. Imagine you are driving your car and you approach a big roundabout. And I live quite near the A9, the key roundabout, which is, anybody's ever been here near Scotland will know, because they'll have sat there for 40 minutes trying and get across it. And you approach a roundabout and the person in front of you kind of half goes then stops then goes to go, then stops. Steve Rush: [Laugh], yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: And chaos in ensues, right? Because you kind of go then stop. And then you hit the brakes, believe or not. It's the most common cause of accident, people hitting the back of each other and what's caused all that chaos is indecision. Now, if that person was either waiting for a huge gap, it's frustrating, but you can see what they're going to do, so you work with it. If that person, I swore then, says, I'm going for it anyway, drops a gear and goes for it. Scary as that might be, you can see what they're doing, and you can react to it. It's the indecision in the middle that causes the problem. And certainly, my experience at Sandhurst was, you don't fail Sandhurst to making a wrong decision. If you make a wrong decision, you learn from it, you evolve, but it's the indecision, it's making no decision that will make you fail. Because when you have sort of this sort of wobbly indecisive, that's when the wheels come off, that's when morale drops. That's when the good ideas club get together, that's when people start going off and doing their own thing in opposite directions. And me certainly, one of the biggest things I've learned across everything that I've done is, in high pressure situations, particularly when you're working with educated people is, you can need to provide reassurance and then direction. And that direction is where, you know, the decision-making is, part of giving that direction because you then get forward momentum. And to me, if you can gain forward momentum, then actually, everyone starts to move in that same direction together. And sometimes it'll be quicker than others, but essentially it does work. Steve Rush: Yeah, now you'd have been faced with a bunch of challenges throughout your careers. And I say careers because they've kind of, whilst it is still one career, there's been number of different facets to what you do. What's been your secret source to overcoming those challenges and turning it into a positive outcome? Timothy Bradshaw: I think sometimes firstly, understanding it kind of all things must pass, you know, at various situations throughout my life, I've, made mistakes, I've been impetuous, I've done stuff. And I think, oh, why did I do that? And you think the world's kind of ending around you, but as you get older, you kind of realize that actually, okay, it's mistake. It's going to be okay. And these things have a tendency to write themselves somehow and you come out the other side of it. So, I think, you know, accepting that you're going to make mistakes and get it wrong, take whatever lessons you can out of it. It is super important. I think at the moment, particularly we're quite vulnerable to people having huge opinions about things that they know very little about. And I think that's largely down to the ability for kind of social media, for people to kind of take a swing at you, if you like, actually without, you know, people you've never even met [laugh] essentially, and I think that can be quite damaging. So, I think accept the fact that you're going to make mistakes, focus on the bits you can control which is, which is your own performance and the way you react to staff and take feedback from the people you trust. But don't worry too much about the kind of naysayers or the people almost. I think we sometimes come across people, and I think it's a bit of a UK disease at the moment where we almost want people to fail and I think I find that a bit strange, but you see it quite a lot. Steve Rush: You do, yeah. Where do you think that comes from? Timothy Bradshaw: I don't know really. I honestly, for me, it's a bit of a complete anathema that is really, I don't really understand it, but whether that's a kind of jealousy thing or whether that's just, I think it's very easy. I can't recite the whole poem off the top of my head, but it's Roosevelt's poem, isn't it? Where he says, it's the man in the fight. You know, don't chastise those that try and fail. And I think sometimes people just, when we're outside of comfort zone or perhaps people are attempting something that somebody else hasn't wanted to try, they almost don't want them to succeed. I personally find that a bit strange, but yeah. Try to override it and get past it. Steve Rush: Yeah, I think business is becoming more receptive to failure in the old world of what failure might have been and most businesses that I certainly work with and know of, recognize that it's part of success, making those steps and pivoting to something else. Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, no, Steve, I actually agree with you and actually if you want to push the boundaries, if you want to learn a new trick, so to speak, you're going to get it wrong a couple of times first, right. But if you want to adapt to overcome, and if you want to grow process, then by definition, you've got to develop and change. And if you're going to develop and change, you're going to do stuff differently. And sometimes that's not going to go quite to plan, I think, sort of accepting that and then also creating a structure within a business so that when that happens, we are supportive of each other. Yeah, we have this expression, covering each other's blind spots. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: You know, so actually we are supporting each other rather than kind of going, oh my goodness me, look at that. Steve made a right mess of that. You know, we should be thinking to ourselves, actually it was brilliant that Steve had to go at that and actually that bit were quite successful. So, if we take those two bits out, support Steve, make sure he's okay. And then let's build on those two elements that work really well. To me, that's much healthier. Steve Rush: Super, now you mentioned a little earlier on you'd suffered with depression and anxiety in the past. Are you comfortable? Let's go there Tim. Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, I don't mind at all Steve. I think it's important that we do talk about it. Steve Rush: Thank you. So, I know that this is a driving force for you now and you use it as a force of good to push you into other activities. But I wondered if you might just share with our listers a little bit about the journey you've been on and what some of your coping strategies are? Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, I mean, for me, it's interesting, right. So, my brain works at speed, as you already know, rightly or wrongly, and I have an ability to latch onto something to focus on that, to not necessarily see some of the boundaries that perhaps other people see and to therefore drive towards achieving that. And that enables me to think very laterally, to get to a location that we need to get to. But that same way my head works if you like comes with a price and the price is that occasionally I then latch the things that I don't need to latch to, or I overthink people's reactions or I overthink the way people come back to me, which then causes me to go into a, we call it, like a negative spiral, sort of catastrophic thinking spiral which is not uncommon with other people. And I face people. I don't suffer from it. I live with it. I don't particularly want curing if that is a thing. Because I am me and the bits of that that make it very challenging. And my wife's amazing at helping me also made me really good at other stuff. So, to me, you kind of can't have one without the other. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: But what I've tried to do, in 2018, we did a year of challenges, which was another terrible idea. And we essentially did an endurance challenge a month, every month for a year. We did like a half iron man triathlon. We climbed the Matterhorn amongst other things. I cycled L'Étape du Tour, which is a terrible idea for any people, in your audience that are mammals, middle-aged men in Lyra and who have push bikes worth more than their cars that they perhaps haven't told their other halves about. You know, it's the ultimate challenge. You get to cycle the mountain stages like Tour de France. And I was definitely not ready for it and not prepared for it. And it put me to a really dark place. But one of the reasons that we did all these challenges was almost a bit of an experiment on me for me to try and work out, you know, how'd you get through these things and how'd, you cope with it and kind of consciously deal with it. And I think for me, it's about momentum. So, the first thing, we have this expression, it's in the book actually, called fear, false expectation appearing real, and any bits ever suffered with a bit pressure anxiety, one often leads to the other will find the clouds kind of roll in and you start to think, oh, this is going to happen and that's going to happen. And Steve's thinking this off me, and if Steve's thinking that of me, then this is going to happen and now that's going to happen. But the reality of that is, although that feels quite real to me at the time, the reality is actually not real. It's a perception of what's going on around you. So, what you have to do or what works for me, I've never tell any what they have to do. What's worked for me is, focus on what's real. So almost list the facts. And our company strap line is intelligence, not information. So, list out the facts. This is what's real. This is what I know. And what you'll find is, I find is, that starts to then sort of push the clouds back because now I'm dealing with the reality of a situation, not my perception of a situation. And once that started to happen, you start to gain a little bit of traction. And then I have this other expression, which is, remember for your big goal. You know, why did I get out of bed this morning, essentially. Ignore the dangerous middle ground and get there by taking small steps. So, in other words, using the tour as an example, two mountains in terms of two of the four we had to cycle up. I was, you know, flat out, done, finished, couldn't do it. But I reminded myself, I was doing it for mental health charities. So therefore, I wasn't going to let them down. That was my big picture. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: On mountain two, if I tried to think about mountain three or mountain four, I would've talked myself out of it, if that makes sense. So actually, what I did was then focus on the next aid station, the next peak, the immediate target in front of me, and we call it micro goal setting. And at one point I could have told you how many lampposts [laugh] were up the final street to the final climb because I was literally going one lamppost at a time. Steve Rush: Yeah. Timothy Bradshaw: But it's quite a good analogy. So, when that starts to happen, you set yourself a micro goal. So, it's like, okay, can I get this done? Yes, I can. Can I get to the next one of these? Yes, I can. And then gradually that builds momentum. And it sort of starts to take you forward. And I hope that, you know, I hope anybody listening, if that helps just one person, it's not easy. But for me, that's made quite a big difference. And the more times I do it, I now go into a little bit of a routine, and I can find myself start to deal with that Steve Rush: Amazing insights. Love it. Thank you for sharing that, Tim. I really appreciate it. So, this is where we get to turn the tables a little bit now. So, you've been a army officer, you've led businesses. You now run a really successful consultancy business. So, I want to tap into that leadership mind of yours. So, I'm going to first off, start by asking you to choose and pick amongst all of the lessons that you've collected on your journey and narrow those down to your top three. What would be your top three leadership hacks? Timothy Bradshaw: Have a toolkit, not a process. Everyone loves a process, right. Everyone, except me. Processes are designed to make sure you get the wing mirror on the car, in the right place at the right time on a production line. They don't work with people. And I'll argue that with everybody all day, so build a toolkit of skills and experiences and in the same way that if you had a problem at home, you'd go to the toolkit and go select the right tool for the right job, rather than blindly following a process, think to yourself, which tool is going to work, you know, for the job that I'm trying to. So, my first one would be, have a toolkit, not a process. Steve Rush: Nice. Timothy Bradshaw: The second one as a leader will be, pull not push. Somebody once said to me, always try and be a warrior, not a mercenary [laugh] so, and by that, what I mean is, empathy is an interesting concept, but try and put yourself in the shoes of the people that you are trying to lead and ask yourself, what is it they want out of life? What is it they want to achieve? And you know, the motto Sandhurst is, served to lead. So, in other words, the leader serves the team, not the other way around. And I think at the moment we have a tendency to go, well, I've made it, I'm the partner, I'm the CEO and whatever. The millions will now run around after me and doing my bidding. Whereas actually, if you can create a pool so that you have a company full of warriors, rather than mercenaries, that are working for a check, then to me, you will achieve far more. And certainly, when crazy stuff happens, like the pandemic or whatever else, that team of warriors are much more likely to rally round and find a way out, rather than sort of simply take the paycheck out, if that makes sense. Steve Rush: Love it. Timothy Bradshaw: And then I think my final one would be of the three would just be simply sort of, don't stop and keep reevaluating all of the time, keep reevaluating the situation. I'm a massive believer in John Boyd. The new Top Gun film is out, right. So, I'm about say it's brilliant. I was very skeptical, but no, it was brilliant. Steve Rush: Yeah, I'm with you. Timothy Bradshaw: But a lot of people don't realize is that the actual place, fightertown in Miramar came about because a guy called John Boyd who's a Colonel in the American Air Force came up with OODA loop thinking which is, observe, orientate, decide and act, and it goes round in a loop. So, in other words, what happens is, you gather intelligence, you interpret that intelligence, you take a decision, you carry out that action, like your life depends upon it. But then what you do is, you instantly start to observe the reaction if you like that you've carried out and is it working and adjust accordingly? And what that does is it means, rather than having this kind of linear decision-making process where the outcome is, be all an end all. In fact, any decision is simply part of this kind of ever rotating process, where you're constantly adjusting the course. And the best analogy I can think of is sailing. You know, you don't kind of set the course sail for 10 days and hope for the best, then check the compass again. You know, you're constantly checking the compass and constantly adjusting the course. And for me that would be it. Steve Rush: Great lesson. Timothy Bradshaw: So, that you're always adjusting. Steve Rush: Yeah, I love that. I love that last one as well, because the world isn't as linear as people think it is, people are not as linear. Processes and organizations are changing intraday. And having that ability to be fleet of foot is, is really powerful, isn't it? Timothy Bradshaw: Yeah, totally agree Steve, absolutely. And we're proving that more and more, you know, we kind think coronavirus, and thought, that's done. And then the Ukrainian thing happened and there will be another one, you know, when this is sorted, there will be another one. Steve Rush: Yeah, exactly. So next part of the show, Tim, we call it Hack to Attack. So, this is typically where something hasn't worked out as you'd intended, it might be something that's gone quite wrong, but you've actually taken that as an experience. And it's now positive in your life and work. What would be your Hack to Attack? Timothy Bradshaw: I think you've got to; you've got to seek out the positive outcomes from anything you can find to take the lessons out of it. And I think, you know, using an analogy and I guess this is not everybody can use it, but we can use the lessons that come out of. It was, we spent two years trying to pull off the Everest expedition and we got it all sorted. And we got to the mountain, and we thought, wow, this is it. We're going to do it. You know, we all joke sort, you know, book, deal and TV show. And then, when all the earthquakes happened and everything else happened around you, I think the first thing that happened is you kind of feel quite sorry for yourself. And you think that this is outrageous. I put all this time and money and effort, and now this has all gone wrong. And then you suddenly realize that the people around you have lost their homes and their families. So, whilst you can't help the way you feel, it puts it into context, and I think you have to accept that. And at the time, I kind of walked away feeling like a little bit like of a failure really. Even though they were situations so far out of my control, you know, it's not even fathomable to think you could have controlled that situation. But actually, now we use that experience to help school kids. So, we've spoken to over seven and a half thousand school kids about what it's like when it doesn't quite go to plan about how you adapt and overcome and about how you refocus and how you keep working the problem regardless of what's going on around you. So, in fact, that very negative situation, what was that 2015? So, the best part of 10 years later. Now is providing a very positive input and outcome to schools as to how to overcome the challenge that they faced over the last couple of years. So, I think, like I said, to take out the positive lessons, you know, wherever you can. Steve Rush: Yeah, definitely. And that was an extreme example of where learning happens, but sometimes the evaluation of the learning is sometimes afterwards, right? Timothy Bradshaw: Mm Steve Rush: Mm. Timothy Bradshaw: Absolutely, yeah. Steve Rush: So last part of the show, Tim, we get to do some time travel with you. You can bump into Tim at 21, probably just finishing or midway through Sandhurst. I suspect at the time, what would your advice to him be? Timothy Bradshaw: I think [laugh] when we take decision making or when I teach critical decision making now, which I do a lot of with big corporate. The first thing we tell people is take a tactical pause, which is just take a deep breath for a minute. You know, when you in an airplane, there's a reason why they tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first. And I think it would be, take your time, you know, just pause for a minute and respect the experience of those people around you. And kind of let it happen a little bit, let it come to you rather than necessarily instantly try and force every situation. So just take a minute, take in what's happening to you and have faith that whatever is, you know, is going to come to you at some point, don't necessarily sort of instantly try and force it Steve Rush: Very wise words. Indeed. So, then Tim, what's next for you? Timothy Bradshaw: So, we are busy at the moment with keynote speaking and we are currently talking to companies about kind of mindset development programs. I think we are really passionate at the minute. I think there's a huge opportunity at the minute for businesses to really reevaluate how they lead, how they make decisions, how they motivate their workforces and make a change. And I think probably now more than ever, there's a window for people to seize that opportunity and go, we're going to take lessons out of this. The workforce is up for it, we're up for it. And let's see if we can make a difference. So, we're quite keen to kind of be a part of that wave. And then the next mission, we're planning our next trip to Ukraine. The boys and girls that we were talking to the other week have got a massive problem. They haven't got enough vehicles to bring casualties back from the front line to the hospitals. So, we are talking to a few people at the moment, we've set up a charity called the Sandstone Foundation, and we are working to try see if we can't get some four by old fours out to these guys to help them and bring back casualties. So that's the next project, I guess. Steve Rush: Awesome, brilliant news. And for those folks that listen to this, Tim, I'm pretty certain, they're going to want to know how they can get a copy of, Because I Can. Find out a little bit more about the work you do with Sandstone Communications. Where's the best place for us to send them? Timothy Bradshaw: Two things, really. The book is on Amazon. Just simply search either for me or for Because I Can or Waterstones, I think have it as well. And the best way to find out or get in touch is via LinkedIn. So, Timothy Bradshaw on LinkedIn and I would love to hear from anybody. I love learning. I love talking to people. And particularly as I said, if you've got a lot of listeners across, you know, further up field, America and Canada and all over. I'm always fascinated to hear how, what we think resonates elsewhere. So please, yeah. Drop me a line on LinkedIn and then I'll always do my best to respond. Steve Rush: We'll make sure those links are in our show notes as well, Tim, but I'm just delighted that we've managed to get you on our show. You're an incredibly inspirational guy. You've got such a lot of experience that we can learn from in lots of different parts of our lives and work. So, Tim, thanks for being part of our community on The Leadership Hacker Podcast. Timothy Bradshaw: No, thank you very much, Steve. Really enjoyed it. Steve Rush: Yeah, thanks Tim.   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.      

Do you ever procrastinate? Or maybe overthink things a little too much?Or do you allow yourself to become a tiny bit distracted when really you should be working on your online business? My friend, I have BEEN there way too many times to count. Especially when I need to post a product. Yep—even after all this time I can stare at a blank screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, and come up with about 135 things I could be doing outside or in the house. Like taking our dog Goose for a walk, or sweeping the kitchen floor, or dreaming up a new business idea.Procrastination is the real deal!But I recently was listening to a podcast featuring Jack Conte, CEO and co-founder of Patreon. His insights into procrastination and distraction made me start thinking about them—and about the idea of finishing something—differently. Get ready to take some notes and have a few “aha” moments! (And if you like this episode as much as I think you will, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave a 5-star review.) Connect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline: https://www.alisonjprince.com/>>>Get your FREE product ideas hereGet your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

Whenever someone comes to me about selling t-shirts online, but are afraid to get started because they hear that the product is “saturated…”…I kinda can't help myself. I laugh. And the REASON I laugh is because I know Mae Cee. Mae has CRUSHED selling t-shirts online. She and her kids have worked together to take their company from basically a print business in their living room to a 7-figure company. Her shirts are produced in small batches, and she only uses quality products to create them. That's why companies work with her on a wholesale basis AND why her retail customers keep going back to her.  Oh—and if you ask HER about whether or not there's room for more t-shirt creators and sellers online, she emphatically says YES. In fact, in this podcast episode she shares tips to help you start selling t-shirts online faster while avoiding the problems she ran into when she got started. Here are 5 of them—and you'll want to listen to get all the details: Simplify, and use the resources you have available.Use transfers to get started instead of trying sublimate or screen print on your ownStart with the basics, which means getting a high-quality heat pressStart with 2 colors of t-shirts with a wider number of sizes, instead of offering lots of colors while not being able to afford a balanced inventorySell quality pieces; you'll keep garbage out of landfills while also increasing customer satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat businessAnd I'm excited to share that Mae Cee is rolling out the Graphic Tee Academy. It designed to help newbies in the world of selling t-shirts online. So again, you are going to want to listen to this podcast to learn more. Additional Resources:Mae's Website: 923byDesign.comMae's Academy: Graphic Tee AcademySpecial Offer:  The first 100 people to register get a specialty prepared box of items designed to help them. Mae's Other Podcast Episode: Increase Sales, Don't be the Low Priced LeaderConnect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceOnline: alisonjprince.com>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

Forgive me if I start these show notes with one word: ugh. I do not like social media. Okay—wait. It's not that I don't like social media. It's that I would about a billion times rather be working on product development or helping my students launch their online stores than making videos.Truth: TikTok nearly TRAUMATIZED me. My friend, the very idea of me having to dance and point…oh dear heavens...makes me want to lie down. And the thing is, so many of my students are the same way. They feel very uncomfortable about the idea of creating Instagram reels or TikTok videos that showcase themselves—and that ultimately require them to be the face of their brands.So that leads to this question: are TikTok and Instagram reels REALLY necessary tools to use for ecommerce brands?We will let my amazing guest Elise Darma answer that question.Elise is an authority on Instagram and TikTok and educates business owners on how to make the most of these platforms in ways they're comfortable with.Listen along to this episode—the first of a three-part series—as Elise shares must-know information based on her knowledge and insights.Additional Resources:Look for Episodes 2 and 3 featuring Elise Darma, coming soon.Where to Find Elise: Online: EliseDarma.comOn Instagram: @elisedarmaOn YouTube: youtube.com/ElisaDarmaOn TikTok @elsedarmaConnect with Alison: Online: alisonjprince.comFacebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

My friend! Thank you for joining me on the podcast today. I think you'll be glad you did, because I have yet another great guest—and we're chatting about where to buy products to sell online. Posey Duncan is one of my students, and she is one of those people who has a never-give-up spirit. As you'll hear, she's had kind of a crazy pants experience getting her business license…but she is NOT backing down. I love her tenacity! This podcast is the third in a series of hotseats (random students are interviewed and we talk through their ecommerce questions) I enjoyed during a recent workshop I led. That workshop focuses on how to find success by using marketplaces to sell physical products. During our conversation, Posey and I talked about where to buy products to sell online, the difference between wholesalers and manufacturers, and what to look for in choosing where you purchase products. If you missed the first two hot seat interviews about product pricing and products not selling, click to go listen now!Connect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System!

"There is only one success- to be able to spend your life in your own way." - Christopher Morley In this episode, Alison shares her story and highlights: Her experience being an entrepreneur and what it means to serve others The process of decision making and the value of not overthinking your decisions How changes in education and  increases in opportunity are shaping the future of our children Alison Prince went from being a Jr. High Teacher to building 4 multi-million dollar businesses, all while being a wife and mom to 4. She is also the host of the podcast "Because I Can". Find out more information by checking out her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonjprince   Continue the conversation on Instagram @heatherchauvin_ To learn more about my Revenue Breakthrough Challenge visit: www.heatherchauvin.com/money    To get my freebies, head over to: www.heatherchauvin.com/energy 

I'm not sure who originally coined the phrase “the riches are in the niches,” but can we all just agree that they were a genius? I mean, whether you pronounce it “nitch” or “neesh”, the fact is that when you're looking to sell products online, the more drilled down you can get when it comes to your customers, the better.Which is why I'm psyched to have Maria Simpson as a guest on this week's episode. Maria found a profitable niche just by looking around her. Her customer base boils down to others who love the great 208—the beautiful state of Idaho. It's been so successful in fact that, in her words, she's “close to that hundred thousand mark” and cannot wait to get there. Her story is 100% the perfect example of how when you really niche down, you can explode your business. And here's what else she does that I think will drop your jaw a little: she's created a profitable partnership with a local company who takes care of all of the production, packing and shipping for her. That means Maria gets to do what she enjoys most (designing her products and marketing them) without having to carry inventory or buy any specialty equipment. Talk about winning!!Listen now to learn more about Maria, her marketing strategies, and how she's making Idaho an even cooler place to be. Additional Resources:Where to Shop: 208SupplyCo.comFollow on Facebook: @208supplycoOn Instagram: @208supplycoConnect with Alison: Online:  alisonjprince.comFacebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

I'm not sure who originally coined the phrase “the riches are in the niches,” but can we all just agree that they were a genius? I mean, whether you pronounce it “nitch” or “neesh”, the fact is that when you're looking to sell products online, the more drilled down you can get when it comes to your customers, the better.Which is why I'm psyched to have Maria Simpson as a guest on this week's episode. Maria found a profitable niche just by looking around her. Her customer base boils down to others who love the great 208—the beautiful state of Idaho. It's been so successful in fact that, in her words, she's “close to that hundred thousand mark” and cannot wait to get there. Her story is 100% the perfect example of how when you really niche down, you can explode your business. And here's what else she does that I think will drop your jaw a little: she's created a profitable partnership with a local company who takes care of all of the production, packing and shipping for her. That means Maria gets to do what she enjoys most (designing her products and marketing them) without having to carry inventory or buy any specialty equipment. Talk about winning!!Listen now to learn more about Maria, her marketing strategies, and how she's making Idaho an even cooler place to be. Additional Resources:Where to Shop: 208SupplyCo.comFollow on Facebook: @208supplycoOn Instagram: @208supplycoConnect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you remember that Friends episode with the couch? With Ross yelling “PIVOT!!!!!!” as Rachel and Chandler tried to navigate the staircase? I seriously cannot even THINK about that episode without laughing. And you KNOW that when my husband Jared and I are in the process of moving furniture at least one of us says it. All humor aside, though, pivoting—or being willing to pivot—is such a huge deal in business. That's why I'm really excited to have you get to know Donna Evans, who I'm interviewing in this episode of my podcast. When Donna decided to start her online store, it was a time in her life when she was already pivoting. A change in her job led her to pursue a dream she'd held for 6 years: starting an ecommerce business. But as you'll hear in the podcast, that wouldn't be Donna's last pivot. And one pivot probably won't be the last you experience when you start your own business. Here are three reasons to pivot in your online business: Reason 1: When you test products, but they don't sell. Reason 2: When products are selling, but you don't feel interested in them/ passionate about them. Reason 3: When products you are handcrafting are becoming too much for you, and it's time to bring in a manufacturerListen as Donna tells you more about her story, where she's headed next, and how she and her daughter are figuring things out together. Additional Resources:Shop with Donna: Rockthisout.comFollow on Instagram: @rock_thisoutOn Facebook: @rockthisoutConnect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you know how many people talk to me about how much they'd like to have an ecommerce store? Unfortunately, there's always some sort of “but” involved in the conversation.As in:  I have dreamed of selling products online for years, BUT… …I've got little kids—where would I find the time?…I don't even know what I'd sell. …where would I get the money? …I've never run a business before.I could go on and on and on.  What I've learned from these conversations about starting online stores…and the reasons why people say they can't…is that oftentimes people seem to need PERMISSION to live their dreams. It sounds silly, right? I mean, we're adults! But at the end of the day, people—maybe even you—need someone to say, “You have the right and the permission to go after your dreams. Whatever your age or situation or background may be, you can do this…and I can even show you how.” This episode shares one of my “aha” moments—and tells you about why I've written my new e-book, Permission to Sell.  As you listen, I hope you have an “aha” moment of your own. Additional Resources Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Download my free e-book, Permission to Sell, here.Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Today's a big day on the podcast—the kind that makes me want to start dancing in the middle of my kitchen. I'm so, so, SO excited because the one and only Lisa Bilyeu is joining me, and we're talking about her new book, Radical Confidence. If you're not familiar with Lisa Bilyeau, get ready to become a fan. She is smart and funny and wise—and she uses her unique brand of storytelling to help people keep moving forward.That's why I 100% believe that everyone who has an online store or is thinking about getting into ecommerce should listen to this episode. I don't know anyone who hasn't had to face pretty much everything that Lisa outlines. If you've ever felt like you don't fit in…If “life” got in the way of you living your dreams…If you're willing to ask yourself some tough questions…If you've thought about starting an online business but are afraid of failing…If you've ever let your emotions get out of control ……and pretty much if you're BREATHING, you should listen to this episode (then go order Radical Confidence).One note: If you're a regular listener, you already know that my podcasts tend to fall firmly in the G-rated space. This one, however, includes language that moves it up to more of a PG-13 rating. Depending on your own preferences, you may want to listen without little kiddos around. Got it? Great--start listening now:  Additional Resources:Order the Book: radicalconfidence.comFollow Lisa on Instagram: @lisabilyeuListen to Lisa's Podcast (Women of Impact) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or whatever podcast platform you prefer.Connect with Alison: Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)Click here to join the 0-100K System!

I am so dang happy to introduce you to one of my fantastic students, Angela Taylor. Even though she was incredibly nervous because she's a fellow introvert, she was a great sport about being selected for a hotseat during a recent training. Now, this is actually my second hotseat interview—my first one was with Norma. If you haven't given that a listen, be sure to listen to it after you enjoy this one. I'll drop the link in the notes.And let me take a sec to explain hotseats and how I use ‘em. I choose students at random to talk one on one with me so I can work with them if they're stuck…and celebrate them for everything they're doing. It's such an awesome way to learn, because even if you're not the one in the hotseat. I like to call it “we” learning instead of “me” learning. Okay, back to Angela. I've gotta give her some big “woots!” for what she's done. She is an ACTION taker and is so, so, SO willing to learn.  Where she's had a bit of a struggle, however, is knowing just how many products she should bundle together to sell online…or whether bundling is the right option for her!Plus, we take a dive into the 5 things to check if your products aren't selling online—and what you can do about ‘em. Ready to learn more? Additional Resources Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Today I'm talking TikTok with Olivia Starling, who has found incredible success building and growing an online store using TikTok. Now, when I think of TikTok, I think of teenagers and people dancing all over the place. And yes, I admit to having been drawn into TikTok's plethora of video content, descending down a tunnel filled with recipe videos, makeup tutorials, puppies, and people who haven't yet heard of what the acronym “TMI” is all about. But Olivia has cracked the code needed to use TikTok as a viable way to promote your products and grow your online shop. In this episode of the Because I Can Life podcast, she shares so much good information about how you can make this social media sister work for you too. Here are 3 tips to grow your ecommerce store with TikTok: Create real content that resonates with real people. People are TIRED of being sold to. Give them something beyond merely a sales pitch.Combine TikTok with other social media platforms. According to Oliva, her strategy includes TikTok, Facebook, and even Instagram. It's about capitalizing on the strength each one offers.Never use content just once. If you're going to invest time or money—or both!—don't just publish it in one place, one time. You need to get as many eyes on your content as possible (including the content you're not creating on your own.That's a hint.)And there is SO MUCH MORE where those come from, so you are DEFINITELY going to want to listen!   Additional Resources Follow Olivia: On Instagram: @oliviaisnotaninfluencerOlivia's Website: OliviaIsNotAnInfluencer.com Product Website: Starlettegalleria.comTikTok Secrets PDF: www.tackleyourtraffic.comConnect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Hi there! Welcome to the latest episode of my podcast, where I am talking about creating successful businesses selling products online. And today, my friend, you are getting to join me and my students in a little something we like to call a hot seat. It sounds scarier than it is. And actually, it's pretty dang awesome. It's when I get to work one on one with a student to see what's going great, where they're a little stuck, and what they can do to move their business forward. In this episode—and this hot seat—you get to meet Norma, who has created a product that is fan-bom-diggity-tastic. Her goal is to help kids kick their “I'm bored” and screen-time habits and use their time to explore starting simple businesses. I KNOW! Isn't it a great idea?! But Norma was feeling a little unsure about a few things, including how best to help parents see how her product works. And she had doubts about something so many new online business owners struggle with: pricing! Listen to find out more about Norma's business, her challenges, and how together we find solutions that work for her (and maybe for you, too!)  Additional Resources Shop with Norma: houseinabottle.comFollow on Facebook: @HouseInaBottleView on Instagram: @houseinabottleofficialConnect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Partnerships in any kind of business can be hard to navigate. But what about building a successful ecommerce partnership—is it just as challenging?  And what if your partner was your mom or your child? Yeah. Let that one sink in. Well, today on the podcast I welcome mother-and-daughter duo Diane Kesinger and Brenna Potash. They've worked together to make their business—Bee + Me—a success both in terms of earnings and great customer relationships. Diane and her husband have been long-time entrepreneurs. One of the things I absolutely, cartwheels-inside-my-chest LOVE about their story is that they had their kids work with them in their business and now see the benefits from that choice. It's something I can relate to, as my kids have worked right alongside me (and when it comes to my girls, they even started their own online store!) Kids learn so dang much about hard work. What I also really appreciate is how Diane and Brenna complement one another's skillsets—something crucial to building a successful ecommerce partnership. For example, Brenna excels at product photography, while Diane is great with the logistics of packaging. It's a balance that works really well and allows each to focus on what they do best.Anyone thinking about partnering up to start an ecommerce business could learn so much from these two women. That includes not only a parent and his or her child, but also husband and wife, best friends, siblings or anyone else who wants to maintain a great relationship while working together.  Something else to listen for in this interview: the importance of stepping back to look at how far you've come. It's so easy to see everything that's wrong or that still needs to be done…or how far ahead of us someone else seems. Does that sound (or feel) familiar? Listen to the podcast now to learn how to overcome that and a whole lot more. Additional Resources Shop Bee + Me Boutique: BeePlusMe.comFind Them on Instagram: @beeplusme Follow Them on Facebook: @beezerandmeConnect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

A couple weeks ago I was in a training and brought in Annie Fuller who talked about the ‘nap time hustle'.  Limited hours and building a cash creating business.

Well hello there, and welcome to this episode of my podcast—where I'm teaching you #1 way to avoid being the face of your online brand.I've had so dang many people outside of that group tell me that they'd LOVE to have a successful ecommerce store but the idea of being the face of their brand stops them from ever getting started. So I surveyed the students in my 0-100K System not too long ago, and I learned that the majority of them also absolutely do not want to be the face of their brand. Truly, I get it. When I started my first online store, I didn't want anybody to know who I was, either.That's why I'm introducing a special guest today as part of my podcast episode. It's fair to say that she was key to me hitting the million-dollar mark (and multi-million-dollar mark) with my first online store.  Her name is Nikki and she's the kind of neighbor everyone wants to have. Her husband's an attorney, she has three kids and she drives a minivan. And she loves finding cool, affordable products for herself and her family. And there's one other thing you should know: she's not real. Nikki is the avatar, or the buyer persona, I created for my online shop. It was thanks to her—and a method I followed almost religiously--that I didn't have to be the face of my ecommerce business. Curious about that method?  Well, there are 6 steps, and I go over every single one of them in this podcast episode. And to make it easy to remember, I came up with the acronym “HEROES.”  Additional Resources Find out how Krista built a million-dollar tee-shirt business without being the face of her brand. Click here.Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprince>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

I'm excited to welcome back Bryan Bowman to my podcast today. I was fortunate enough to interview him about a year ago right here on the Because I Can Life—and couldn't wait to bring him back! Last time, he talked Shopify. Today, we're discussing the ins and outs of Facebook ads, which is a huge topic right now in the ecommerce world.  I'm hearing way too many people say they're spending thousands—even tens of thousands—on Facebook ads and they're just not seeing the returns they hope for. Bryan works with e-commerce entrepreneurs EVERY DAY to help them tackle this stuff, and he's here to let us know what we need to think about when it comes to running ads on Facebook. Oh—and you'll learn why, as he puts it, friends don't let friends boost posts!Download and listen now.   Additional Resources Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alisonjprince/>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

People are always asking me the secrets to my ecommerce success, and in today's podcast, I share one of them: having a Momentum Coach. Not quite what you expected? Well, I believe that the investments we make in ourselves are the very best we can make. I also believe that having someone I can talk with and get “unstuck” with is invaluable. That's why I have a Momentum Coach.Ashley Pedersen works with online store owners in my Next Level class, helping them to move past blockers their brains may be tossing up.  As you'll hear, she gives them opportunities to ask questions and helps students understand that they can—and should—take up space. And they learn that the only people they should get out of the way for…are themselvesGet ready to listen, to learn, and maybe even have your mind opened to new possibilities a bit.  Listen now for all the details.  Additional Resources Connect with Ashley on Facebook: @ACLifeCoachFollow Ashley on Instagram: @AshleyCameronCoachingConnect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alisonjprince/>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Growing an ecommerce store is a glorious challenge, but after doing it multiple times myself, I've found some tried and true methods that work. Those methods include how to use my LADDERS Law to grow your online business. Lemme guess: you're wondering what the hot heck a ladder has to do with ecommerce. After all, I've never sold a ladder in my life. Unless maybe it was some sort of cute little décor piece that sits on your counter. But I want you to think about a ladder for just a sec. Say we wanted to get on our roof to put on some Christmas lights or something similar.We don't leap from the ground onto a roof two stories above, right? It's a pretty impossible thing to do for most of us—especially holding a bunch of tangled holiday lights.And we shouldn't jump from a roof to the ground two stores below, either. Odds are, we'd get hurt.That's why we use ladders. They're designed to help us carefully move up—and down, if needed—as we work towards a goal. In the case of ecommerce, my LADDERS Law is designed to help you do the same thing. I have used this process to build my ecommerce businesses multiple times, and I'm not alone. My daughters used it to launch their successful ecommerce business. So have moms and grandmas and other students in my 0-100K System. They've followed these exact steps so they could create their own successful online stores. Recently, I even taught my friend and ClickFunnels founder Russell Brunson my ecommerce LADDERS Law. The result? He sold over $15,000 in burlap bags in two weeks!Ready to learn more?Listen now for all the details. Additional Resources Listen to Kim Henrie's episode here.Connect with Alison:Facebook: @alisonjprinceInstagram: @alisonjprinceLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alisonjprince/>>>Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping.)Click hereto join the $0-100k System!