Podcasts about in linda

Join us this episode for a small town case that was solved with the help of the latest technology in personal surveillance cameras. When the body of a woman was found on a rural road partially burned in the early morning of October 24, 2017, Pierce County Sheriff's didn't have much to go on to catch her killer, not even her identity. Thankfully, luck and technology was on their side. Little by little, pieces of video evidence would show a trail that the killer was leaving unknowingly on home security and business cameras wherever he went. After the identity of Linda Sweezer was established as their victim, more questions were left unanswered than not. Who would do this to such a kind woman? What could the motive possibly be? And how did her body end up so far from her home in Kent, Washington?This week's case is incredibly sad as we discuss the senseless murder of a local woman who's life centered around giving back to her community and family. In Linda's honor, please consider going out into your community to support your local Juneteenth Celebrations. If you live in the Kent, Washington area, there is a link below to information on the memorial celebration held in Linda Sweezer's honor at Morrill Meadows Park. Some information from this episode:Murder victim found near Lake Tapps:https://bit.ly/3xwyyxWSuspect arrested in murder of Linda Sweezer:https://bit.ly/3q5Fe3GA grieving community mourns Linda's passing:https://bit.ly/3zvYDzfLance Rougeau charged with 1st Degree Murder:https://bit.ly/3q63RgxFirst Court Appearance:https://bit.ly/3cNOuEkThe Verdict:https://bit.ly/3wBzt0cThe Sentencing:https://bit.ly/3cPOQuaLinda Sweezer Memorial Juneteenth Celebration:https://bit.ly/3zzBYC2Referenced but not mentioned*Investigation Discovery: See No Evil, Season 7 Episode 4- Headlights and Firehttps://bit.ly/3gBTwVq

Learn from Food Thing Detective, Linda Mechner as she talks about the relationship between food and how people feel. Linda's practice began 13 years ago after she finally won her own personal battle with chronic fatigue and illness. After exhaustive attempts to take back control of her health, she felt as if she'd earned a PhD in Nutrition, and was inspired to study formally so she could help people get back into balance. She studied nutrition (including all the major dietary theories) at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City (accredited by Columbia University), the largest and most progressive nutrition school in the world. Linda received an NLP Master Certification at the NFI Institute where she trained under its founder (and world-renowned practitioner) Gary Daniel. She is currently working on certification for mind-body skills work though the Center For Mind Body Medicine in Washington DC. By combining customized nutritional plans with mind-body skills & practices, Linda have helped clients around the country achieve significant results. Her specialties include blood sugar control, cholesterol, weight management, low energy and fatigue, stress, emotional eating, and mood management. In Linda's view, the only accurate way to assess (and to enhance) a person's overall health and wellness is by starting with a holistic, deep study into the individual's health history, lifestyle, temperament, beliefs, and emotions. Her philosophy is grounded in the belief that mastering one's own mind is at the heart of creating healthy and lasting change. Linda's programs investigate and confront the adaptive strategies that no longer serve the individual, replacing them with health-enhancing strategies and supportive dietary and lifestyle choices. She also offer gold-standard nutritional testing, the highest quality supplements, and integrate a well-rounded knowledge of traditional healing philosophies into all recommended solutions for my clients. Achieving–and sustaining–a new level of vitality and overall wellness is a process, and not an event. Linda is honored to support my clients on their journey to optimum health and a joyful life. "Live vibrantly" ~ Linda Mechner Contact Linda at: Website: https://lindaliving.com/ Thank you for listening to the Entrepreneur Experts Cafe - sponsored by Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel. I am Kimberly Crowe your host, and creator of the Facebook Community, Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel, a community by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs and experts to get their business to the next level. ✅ Join the conversation! ✅ https://www.facebook.com/groups/entrepreneursrocketfuel/

Linda spent six months working with a general lawyer (meaning someone who practiced personal injury, litigation, and a dash of probate on the side). There was not much progress in those six months, so Linda became frustrated and transferred the case to us. Sadly, we had to basically start from scratch, because the general lawyer did essentially nothing. What causes probate delays? Bad lawyers In Linda’s situation, six months went by and it was as if nothing happened in her case. One of the reasons for the delayed probate was because the general lawyer did not know what preliminary Letters Testamentary were. An experienced probate lawyer would have noticed right away that Linda had a complicated probate and would have immediately filed for preliminary Letters Testamentary. If this had been filed immediately, Linda could’ve started “executor-ing” months ago. Another reason probate can be delayed is drafting the Petition wrong. In Linda’s case, the general lawyer didn’t understand which family members must be notified, and therefore hadn’t even begun collecting their contact information. Lastly, probate can be delayed because a general lawyer might not realize that the Will isn’t properly witnessed. (As a side note, this is a good reason to find an experienced attorney to draft your Will). Getting the correct witnessing on a decedent’s Will takes a lot of time, including tracking down the witnesses and having them sign affidavits. An experienced probate lawyer would notice the incorrect witnessing and get started on the correction process immediately. As with any practice, if a lawyer does not have much experience in a certain area of law, he or she will probably miss important details and cause delays. When a lawyer gives bad advice In Linda’s situation, her deceased relative owned an income-producing property, and the general lawyer told Linda not to collect rent anymore from the tenants! This led to non-payment and problems with the tenants, which will cost the estate more money to work out. Instead of listing the house on the market during the summer, this lawyer’s bad advice means that Linda now must winterize the house. With proper legal advice, the house could have been sold and done with before the cold. In summary, bad legal advice causes more stress and aggravation for the client. How can you avoid all this? Shop around: Compare lawyers, call their office, and visit their websites. Make sure you’re working with an experienced probate lawyer from the beginning. Request your free consultation

The Case:  Linda was having trouble with anxiety and sleep Routine blood work revealed a very high TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and she was given a medication to treat hypothyroidism. Linda wondered why she didn’t have many of the typical symptoms for hypothyroidism and worried that going on medication might be the wrong move.   Even though Linda was happy to have an answer, something didn’t add up. She was told to get on the medication, regardless of whether she showed typical symptoms or not. Linda wasn’t convinced. That’s when she came to see me.    The Investigation Linda was right to question her results and her treatment even though her numbers were very high. I knew I needed to figure out the root cause of her elevated TSH and determine if there might be a way to get her back into optimal range.    Normal Range for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)  The regular lab range for TSH is between .5 and 4.5, but the more functional range that we want to aim for is really between 1.8 and 3 if not medicated. Linda’s TSH was at 19, which was why her doctor was immediately alarmed.    Evaluating Thyroid Markers or Why You Need To Test All Thyroid Markers In order to truly evaluate the thyroid, it is very important to test all of the thyroid markers (as I explained in Episodes 27 & 28). We ran a second blood test with TSH and all the thyroid hormones as well as all 3 antibodies: TPO, thyroglobulin, and TSI antibodies. When the results came back with high TSH (even higher than before!), the interesting thing was that the other actual thyroid hormone markers were completely normal. Linda’s T3 and T4 were at optimal levels. Typically, when those thyroid hormones drop, the body’s signal to correct that would be raising the TSH. We were able to see here that the other hormones had not dropped in the first place, so that was not the reason the TSH was up.    High TSH with High Thyroid Antibodies  In Linda’s case, she didn’t have typical hypothyroid or slow thyroid symptoms and her thyroid hormones were normal. Her TPO antibodies however were 529, which is quite high. Her thyroglobulin antibodies were also slightly elevated at 42 and her TSI antibodies were negative. TSI antibodies are representatives of Graves disease, so she didn’t have that, but TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies are representative of Hashimoto’s. Linda’s results were positive for TPO and Thyroglobulin, which showed us that she had Hashimoto’s.    Hashimoto’s and Thyroid Inflammation When there is Hashimoto’s there can also be thyroid inflammation. I have found that when the thyroid is inflamed, the TSH can go up without it triggering any low thyroid hormones. This is not what the textbooks say in typical cases, but as we know here at Health Mysteries Solved, many of us are not textbook cases, and issues can be complex!   Misdiagnosed Hypothyroidism  Our bodies have tons of feedback loops and when all the loops work like they are supposed to, then we can follow a textbook pathway to healing. But, in many cases, there are other issues at play from stress to autoimmunity to toxicity, to the foods that we eat. It’s not uncommon that the feedback loops may not work the way we think they should. In this case, High TSH is showing inflammation of the thyroid rather than an actually slow thyroid. This not only explains why she didn’t have hypothyroidism symptoms, but also that the inflammation could have actually been triggering the anxiety and sleep issues.    Medication when Necessary I was so happy that I met Linda so that we could work on the inflammation. In her case, medication was actually not necessary because her thyroid hormones were normal.  Even though I am always trying to find natural solutions, I am not anti-medication when truly necessary. Especially when it comes to thyroid medication. As some of you may know, I take a small dose of compounded thyroid medication because I have hypothyroidism. My perspective is that when the thyroid truly is slow, medication is replacing something that the body can’t make but absolutely needs. This is a very important medication for me to have. However using it when you don't need it is a different story.   The Link Between Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism? While many people with Hashimoto’s do in fact have hypothyroidism (because of damage to the thyroid), other times, we can catch the Hashimoto’s and the inflammation it may cause early before the thyroid gets damaged. In this case, if we address the inflammation and underlying immune triggers driving the autoimmune response, it is possible to save the thyroid from being destroyed.  By the time I found out I had Hashimoto's, my thyroid was already affected but even if that is the case for you, there is still a lot you can do to stop the progression of the attack by addressing the triggers.   Next Steps For Linda, we caught the Hashimoto’s early before it actually damaged her thyroid. We worked on lowering inflammation and calming her adrenal glands (the glands that deal with stress), which was one of her triggers. We did a genetic test for gluten, the D2 DQ8 which showed that she was positive for both the DQ8 and D2 (meaning her body was not genetically predisposed to process gluten). There is a big connection between gluten and Hashimoto’s due to molecular mimicry (where there are similar molecules at play so the body attacks all of them by mistake). We took gluten out of her diet and used PS 150 and liquid GABA to help lower her cortisol and support her adrenals and sleep. Stress can be both physical as well as emotional and so for Linda, we reduced the physical stress caused by her body trying to process gluten. She also added mindfulness exercises to further lower her cortisol. This  helped her calm down, relax and feel less anxious which, along with the GABA, improved her sleep.  The better she slept, the more her adrenals were able to heal. We retested her full thyroid panel of markers in 6 weeks and her TSH had returned to normal! We were both thrilled. Eliminating Health Mysteries Can you see how this could have become quite a health mystery had she not explored this further? I am so glad she did reach out for support, and hope you can keep her story in mind in case you ever get similar results. For Linda, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle so she could regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?    Links: Suggested Products Liquid GABA PS 150 Related Podcast Episodes: EPISODE #028 Navigating the Thyroid Treatment Mystery with Inna Topiler EPISODE #027 Solving the Thyroid Mystery w/ Inna Topiler EPISODE #080 The Link Between Dry Eyes and Your Thyroid w/ Dr. Rani EPISODE #078 [Ask Inna] Your Thyroid and Hashimoto’s Questions Answered Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com   PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses. 

This week's guest Linda Rislin is evidence of how life's path leads us in directions we could never have planned. In Linda's case, a visual designer turned Open Relationship Coach. Born to Haitian parents, Linda was born in New Jersey and grew up in an inter-generational home and at the intersection of diverse cultures. In part one Linda discusses the early years, her catholic education, her immersion in American culture, and the clash with Haitian values. She explains the influence of her parents on her character development, her mother's faith, and her father's levity. Linda discusses how growing up with scarcity guided her to seek financial security in a marketing role at Vimeo. Upon discovering how unfulfilled she felt Linda describes her career migration into visual design and the resultant impact on her life satisfaction. We end part one there and in Part two we cover Linda's journey to becoming an Open Relationship Coach. Linda discusses how she and her partner evolved from a monogamous relationship to embrace open relationships. She reflects on how her previous relationship mode was based on the pursuit of finding a husband, the impact of her Haitian culture on how she perceived relationships, rather what she now calls seeking a life adventure partner. Linda discusses fear, the concept of soul mates, how previous relationships shaped her behavior and becoming her individual authentic self. Linda explains her early experience of open relationships, adult play-parties, and being 'Monogamish' and reflects communication, women's roles in romantic culture, and the human condition. Linda discusses how she has applied her experiences in Open Relationships to help other women navigate open relationships, help them speak up and how she helping them deal with relationship stigmas and propaganda. We also discuss the impact on mental health, the economic impact of empowered relationships, and how she works with therapists as part of couples therapy, being true to oneself, cultivating openness and honesty. I hope you enjoy the convention confronting candor of Linda Rislin. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

GUEST OVERVIEWThis week's guest is Linda Rislin, is evidence of how life's path leads us in directions we could never have planned. In Linda's case, a visual designer turned Open Relationship Coach. Born to Haitian parents, Linda was born in New Jersey and grew up in an inter-generational home and at the intersection of diverse cultures. In part one Linda discusses the early years, her catholic education, her immersion in American culture and the clash with Haitian values. She explains the influence of her parents on her character development, her mother's faith and her father levity. Linda discusses how growing up with scarcity guided her to seek financial security in a marketing role at Vimeo. Upon discovering how unfulfilled she felt Linda describes her career migration into visual design and the resultant impact on her life satisfaction. We end part one there and in Part two we cover Linda's journey to becoming an Open Relationship Coach. SOCIAL LINKSLinda's Site LINKS IN SHOW Haiti Earthquake Shillington Design School See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Linda's words:Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a loop of fear and failure?Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt like a stranger was staring back at you?You are not able to see your limitless potential when you are focused on your limiting beliefs. Over the course of the last 4 years I have developed an easy 3 step process to help you Reboot Your Life and Bring Back Your Spark. You can always reinvent yourself and become the best version of yourself. I am the proud author of my debut book REBOOT YOUR LIFE. I began my career in the Motion Picture Industry where I worked in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. I spent over a decade as an elementary educator where my passion for teaching was sparked. After a full life reboot of my own, I am now living out all of my dreams and unlocking more of my potential each day. I am a co-host and co-producer of a TV show called SOUL SEEKERS TV with my partner in crime Patricia Ribeiro Wolfson. I am a thought leader for mothers who are looking to live out their personal dreams in harmony with motherhood. My purpose is to ignite a movement of mothers who learn the power of Self Love. Linda's 3 top tips 1. When you are spinning - turn off and wait- then turn it back on and reboot2. Upgrade your energetic system through self love3. Reinvent yourself at any age and in any phaseIf you want to know more about Linda's work: https://www.lindakraussbarnett.com/LIFE REBOOT BASICSAn introductory course to introduce you to the fundamental principles of the REBOOT process. This course is designed to kickstart your momentum and unlock your limitless potential.LIFE REBOOT INTEGRATIONThis intensive 12-week course designed to identify and reprogram limiting beliefs. Release limiting beliefs, take inspired action, and activate your full potential.Don't miss another episode. Subscribe to this podcast.If you want learn more about living a fantastic life after alcohol, check out my book!https://www.amazon.com/My-Steps-Sobriety-fantastic-without-ebook/dp/B089ZPD21S/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=stephan+neff&qid=1595922770&s=digital-text&sr=1-1https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Store/b?ie=UTF8&node=133140011&nocache=1526718783253 And follow me on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook!https://www.instagram.com/mystepstosobriety/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ5Rgw59jOX4y3iDeMAXpwQhttps://www.facebook.com/mystepstosobriety

Linda Outka is a business coach specializing in interpersonal conflict resolution. She shares her tips to make any any relationship you have amazing! Here are a few highlights: Staying in peace with the people around you will avoid draining precious energy. God wants you to have open conversations that are 100% open and 100% respectful. Silence is toxic. At 12:14, you’ll learn how to untangle Facts from Story At 15:00, you’ll discover how to keep your defenses low so learning can flow! In Linda’s book, you’ll get the template for how to start a conversation in a non-defensive way. Get Linda’s book, Pebbles in My Shoes, Three Steps to Breakthrough Interpersonal Conflict  Subscribe to Claudia's Email for Weekly Show Reminders Join the discussion on Facebook: Your Kingdom Journey

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Linda Cureton, veteran U.S. government tech leader, turned entrepreneur.  Linda “was always fascinated with numbers.” Facetiously she recalled doing a math as a youngster to compute how old she would be in 2000.  “I remember coming up with the age --- 41.” She thought: “Oh my God. I’ll be dead. I better hurry up and do things!” Linda has had many chances to “do things”  (BIG THINGS), although she resisted technology in early life.  Originally aimed toward Washington D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Linda wanted to take calculus in 12th grade so matriculated at Howard University, instead, as a senior in high school in an advanced calculus program. She began university as a pre-med major, (“I hated it”) until a mentor counseled her. “You will be successful if you do what you love and enjoy.” Linda switched her major to mathematics.  “I wanted to do pure math, but the counselor insisted I take computer classes.” As she began to take programming classes (IBM Assembler, Fortran, etc.), “I really enjoyed them.” After graduation, she interviewed at the National Air and Space Administration (NASA). “That’s how I got into technology,” she said.  At the time, it felt like “punishment.” Clearly, that feeling dramatically changed. Linda was a mathematician/programmer for 2 years at NASA, then moved to the U.S. Navy, working in the weapons systems development program, to become a program manager in undersea warfare.  “After 6 months, I realized I didn’t like it, at all” so she moved to become a systems programmer at the Seattle naval base.  Post-divorce, Linda moved to Maryland to become a systems programmer at the U.S. Department of Justice.  She was at DOJ for 16 years, in a variety of technology management jobs and eventually became Deputy Director of the DOJ Data Center.  Then she began applying for senior executive positions in government. “I was told I was not qualified,” she said. She recognized a need to focus on building coalitions, and whole organizations, “from dirt, from the ground up.”  Engaging in that developed “executive acumen.” She went to the U.S. Department of Energy as Associate Chief Information Officer for operations for several years. “I was the only African-American career executive in the department, and the only black female; it felt very lonely.” But, from that experience she grew immensely. Subsequently, Linda became Deputy Assistant Director of Science and Technology and then Deputy CIO for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), as a female executive in a male-dominated agency where she “built a very strong team.”  Following that, she spent 8 years, again at NASA – first as CIO at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, then as CIO for the entire NASA agency. (“My boss’s boss was President Barack Obama! The buck stops there.”)  At NASA, she spent most of her time “debugging” the nationwide agency and bolstering it. In evaluating her government career, Linda admitted “I was a pretty terrible programmer, but I was good at debugging.”  She still considers that a major strength: the ability to find the “bugs” in an organization and solve them. Linda had no formal mentors in her career but learned “the best way to have a mentor is to be a mentor,” and mentors can be found outside of your organization.  While at DOE, feeling isolated, Linda reached out to Gloria Parker, the first African-American female working at a Cabinet level, as the CIO for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Gloria generously shared invaluable advice about how to effectively serve as a CIO. They have remained friends to this day. After retiring from NASA, Linda founded Muse Technologies, branded to reflect the concept of “goddesses of inspiration.”  She wrote a book: THE LEADERSHIP MUSE , about things in the physical and spiritual world from which she drew leadership inspiration (“from hummingbirds to owls to notions about numbers and infinity and music…” and more.) In Linda’s eyes, “the job of leadership is so difficult, and impossible, it takes divine inspiration, sometimes, to get through it.”  Her company supports Federal executives who need change support, supplying them with innovative problem-solving, process support, strategic planning, project/program management, technology recommendations and “soft skills” training for staff. Linda expressed gratitude for the setbacks and disappointments she experienced over the years.  “They have made me what I am, today.” Her greatest joy comes from contemplating “the vastness of the world we live in, God’s creation.  It gives me a chance to decompress….to understand more about my purpose in life.” Conversely, Linda’s biggest fear is potential failure, which “I have pivoted to have the courage to succeed.”  Having recently seen “Hidden Figures,” (about African-American women overcoming discrimination to strongly contribute  to the U.S. space program), Linda left the theater “annoyed” because so many people were rejoicing, thinking that 1965 barriers faced by the film’s protagonists no longer existed. “Dude,” she said. “That was so last week. Maybe they don’t give you the trash to take out, but I had my share of more ‘nuanced’ attitudes!”   On work-life balance, Linda commented: “Life is not 50/50.  It is 100/100. I am 100% who I am all the time.” Three of her career lessons for women are: you can cry, but keep on moving; don’t apologize for being a woman – use female advantages to succeed:  and never sell out; “it’s better to quit a job than do something you think is wrong.” In her community life, Linda gives back by being an active board member for the DC Youth Orchestra for K-12 children and a newly-formed regional group called Pink Architecture, convening tech women to share insights, knowledge and support.   Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. And please listen to us on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher and provide an online review.

On this special episode and Season 1 Finale of Limit Up!, John Hoagland and Mark Meadows talk with Linda Raschke about her newest book “Trading Sardines” and some of her personal highlights as a trader, including how she recovered from some of her biggest trading losses and how she built up the stomach for outlier events. Linda Raschke is a successful active trader and money manager with an impressive track record of almost forty years and an esteemed profile with Market Wizards. She is also a returning guest to the show. In Linda’s third second appearance on Limit Up!, hear her take on:[03:49] Her latest book Trading Sardines[06:07] What a formula for success looks like[08:02] Creating communities in trading[10:46] The importance of correcting mistakes immediately[13:17] Having the stomach for a big loss[15:23] Surviving outlier events[17:10] Investing in hogs when Swine Flu hit[19:05] How to manage emotions when trading[23:57] Watching the volatility in your bottom line[25:46] Why you might ignore your P&L after a big loss[28:16] Having a process and staying accountable[31:31] Finding success after a period of losses[33:19] Staying in the gameBe sure to catch up with Linda Raschke on Twitter @LindaRaschke and get a preview of her new book at lindaraschke.net. Editing & Post-Production by Dante32.

Linda's was the final episode for 2018, and what pleasure to have her as a guest. In Linda's words: "Music has been at the center of my life since I can remember. Early influences include Karla Bonoff, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell: many other female singer songwriters since then have shaped my taste in music: Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Mia Borders, Caroline Herring, Susan Cowsill, Lynn Drury, Shannon McNally, Amy Mann and Brandi Carlile. This list is actually pretty endless--I would also have to include the Beatles, the Stones, and the women of the early blues movement, such as Memphis Minnie. I write Americana music, rooted in my life experiences. Many of my songs tell stories, and they are all different; I don't want to write in just one style--I am open to a variety of music, from country to soul. In short, I am a work in progress and I hope you like what you hear. Little Queenie was released on my birthday in 2016, and No Limits, my second album, was released in October of 2017. I am currently writing and recording songs for my next record, due out in the spring of 2019. My style continues to evolve! You can hear my songs here, as well as on Seattle Wave Radio and Local Roots Music NW Radio, available for purchase on CD Baby and BandCamp." A simple but important point is made in this interview as a recurring theme throughout all; music is for everyone and although it helps, no special skills or education are required to enjoy listening to or creating your own. But as seen below, Linda is a bit of an overachiever. EDUCATION-- Writing Fellows Institute, University of Washington, Tacoma; September - June, 2009 Adjunct Faculty Institute, Tacoma Community College; January - March 2006 Summer School for Applied Aesthetics, Lahti Finland; August 18-23, 2002 The School of Criticism and Theory, Cornell University; June 20 - July 26, 2001 The School of Criticism and Theory, Dartmouth College; June 17 - July 26, 1996 Ph. D. English, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; May 1989 M.A. English, University of Southern Mississippi; August 1982 Graduate Study Abroad, University of London; Summer 1981 B. M. E. Mississippi College, 1979 And, that doesn't include any of her music background! “If Chrissie Hynde had bolted Akron for Nashville instead of London, her unbuffered emotion and incisive observations might have taken shape something like those of Ms. Blair. The Washington-based singer/songwriter takes on romantic love’s frequent left turns and rude awakenings with straightforward lyrics and vocals to match. “Wild Night”, in particular, evokes the soulfulness of the afore-mentioned Ms. H. Other instantly attractive tracks include “All The While”, “Lucky Man” and “Far Away”.” — Duane Verh, Roots Music Report Linda's Website Linda's Facebook Linda via Spotify

Linda's was the final episode for 2018, and what pleasure to have her as a guest. In Linda's words: "Music has been at the center of my life since I can remember. Early influences include Karla Bonoff, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell: many other female singer songwriters since then have shaped my taste in music: Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Mia Borders, Caroline Herring, Susan Cowsill, Lynn Drury, Shannon McNally, Amy Mann and Brandi Carlile. This list is actually pretty endless--I would also have to include the Beatles, the Stones, and the women of the early blues movement, such as Memphis Minnie. I write Americana music, rooted in my life experiences. Many of my songs tell stories, and they are all different; I don't want to write in just one style--I am open to a variety of music, from country to soul. In short, I am a work in progress and I hope you like what you hear. Little Queenie was released on my birthday in 2016, and No Limits, my second album, was released in October of 2017. I am currently writing and recording songs for my next record, due out in the spring of 2019. My style continues to evolve! You can hear my songs here, as well as on Seattle Wave Radio and Local Roots Music NW Radio, available for purchase on CD Baby and BandCamp." A simple but important point is made in this interview as a recurring theme throughout all; music is for everyone and although it helps, no special skills or education are required to enjoy listening to or creating your own. But as seen below, Linda is a bit of an overachiever. EDUCATION-- Writing Fellows Institute, University of Washington, Tacoma; September - June, 2009 Adjunct Faculty Institute, Tacoma Community College; January - March 2006 Summer School for Applied Aesthetics, Lahti Finland; August 18-23, 2002 The School of Criticism and Theory, Cornell University; June 20 - July 26, 2001 The School of Criticism and Theory, Dartmouth College; June 17 - July 26, 1996 Ph. D. English, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; May 1989 M.A. English, University of Southern Mississippi; August 1982 Graduate Study Abroad, University of London; Summer 1981 B. M. E. Mississippi College, 1979 And, that doesn't include any of her music background! “If Chrissie Hynde had bolted Akron for Nashville instead of London, her unbuffered emotion and incisive observations might have taken shape something like those of Ms. Blair. The Washington-based singer/songwriter takes on romantic love’s frequent left turns and rude awakenings with straightforward lyrics and vocals to match. “Wild Night”, in particular, evokes the soulfulness of the afore-mentioned Ms. H. Other instantly attractive tracks include “All The While”, “Lucky Man” and “Far Away”.” — Duane Verh, Roots Music Report Linda's Website Linda's Facebook Linda via Spotify

Writing is no easy task, and often times the hardest part is just getting started! Quickwrites, is a writing method author and classroom teacher Linda Rief is known for. In fact, she wrote the book on it! She says it provides students with a low-risk writing exercise to get ideas out, and brainstorm how they might like to write about a topic they are interested in. Quickwrites also allows students to push past the doubt and uneasiness that can keep a young writer’s pencil hovering above a blank piece of paper. In Linda’s words, “You don’t know what you know until you put words down on paper.”Today on the Heinemann Podcast, a special conversation between Linda Rief and Penny Kittle. Both are at the Boothbay Literacy Institute. Penny talks with Linda about her new “The Quickwrite Handbook: 100 Mentor Texts to Jumpstart Your Students’ Thinking and Writing.Penny began her conversation with Linda recalling the first time they worked together…

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation – I’m Stephen Woessner and welcome to Episode 460 – this week’s solocast where I will share the specific step-by-step recipe for how to get a sponsor for your podcast, a lesson that I learned directly from one of today’s leading authorities on the topic of sponsorships. Her name is Linda Hollander, and she is off-the-charts amazing. I’m telling you – the lesson in this solocast is going to help you monetize your podcast in new ways – or – if you already have sponsors – it may give you some new insights so you can sell your sponsorships upwards of $100,000 per year.   Before we get to today’s lesson…I want to thank you.   Thank you for being here – thank you for all of your support – thank you for all of your daily encouragement – thank you for all of the wonderful emails sharing what you like about the show – and just as important – sharing how my team and I can get better – how we can deliver even more value to you and your teammates. I appreciate the emails, the tweets, the Facebook posts, and all of the connection requests on LinkedIn. I want you to know how much you mean to me – how much you and what you share with us energize my team and me. You and your feedback is the lifeblood of the show and so before we dive into today’s lesson – I want you to know how much I deeply appreciate you taking some of your precise 86,400 seconds you were blessed enough to receive today – and sharing your time – your most precious asset – and deciding to share it with me. And because time is the most precious asset for all of us – I have invested my time in building a lesson for you today that will add value in potentially many areas of your business. But I will say – despite the value this lesson will provide you – it may make you uncomfortable. You may feel put on the spot. As you consider the potential of executing on the ideas I share with you this morning – you may immediately begin to talk yourself out of the opportunity. You may second-guess yourself. You may feel that you and your business are not worthy of such lofty goals. So as we move through the lesson…as I share with you the practical and tactical of what you need to do when you work to attract a sponsor for your podcast…and you start to second-guess yourself…and begin to feel that your show or your business is not at that right level…I want you to remember the wise words of Marianne Williamson when she said… But…how do I know this to be true? Because Onward Nation, Marianne’s words struck me to the core the first time I read them. I was hit hard. I knew she was speaking to me and other people who felt the same way as me. In three simple sentences – she beautifully addressed head on the biggest obstacle of success that was blocking my path. So now, instead of praying and focusing on opportunity to come my way…I have shifted the context to be more in-line with being ready to accept the abundance – to be okay in becoming the person I need to become to be the best steward possible – to be open and let the light shine in to cast out the darkness – so that I can see my full destiny unfold. I am sharing all of this with you, in full transparency, so you have an opportunity to get your mindset right – to know you are worthy – that you are ready – that you can be more – that your business is ready for that next level – that your podcast is ready for a sponsorship – and that you are ready to apply all you learn here today. And that I know the points where today’s lesson about attracting sponsorships will make you feel uncomfortable because I have been there. I have felt the uneasiness of “not being ready” first hand. But I am telling you, Onward Nation – if you apply what I share with your this morning, you will push past the fear and leap onward to that next level. For example, when my Predictive ROI team and I launched Onward Nation in June of 2015…some of the first questions from people closest to us had nothing to do with the tactical of how we were able to build the show from scratch and launch it in less than 30-days…or…how we were able to soar to the top of iTunes within just a few short weeks. Nope. Oftentimes, one of the very first questions I received from those closest to me was… “When are you going to sell a sponsorship?” This was a frequently asked question because having a sponsor was an outward sign of success – of legitimacy – that we had made it – that we were on our way to doing something special. But here’s the truth, Onward Nation. The thought of selling a sponsorship early on terrified me. I was afraid of the rejection. I was afraid of sharing what might seem like small numbers for a new show. I didn’t want to waste my time or the time of the prospective sponsors. I was afraid of being embarrassed during the process. And the list goes on and on. But ultimately, I didn’t feel that this show – a couple of years ago – was worthy of a paid sponsorship. But there was something else – and potentially even more paralyzing. I had no idea what to do – I didn’t know the first thing to attracting let alone selling a sponsorship for our podcast. I knew zero. In fact, to say that I knew zero was to give me a compliment – I knew less than zero. So my lack of knowledge – and my emotional insecurity around the topic of sponsorship – caused me to answer those initial questions on the topic as the opportunity of sponsorships didn’t matter as a revenue stream because we were focused on building the core business, which was true…but only a half truth. Here’s what I have learned in the over two years of hard work since that time.   Sponsorships matter.   Sponsorships of course matter from the perspective of revenue – but this is the less important compared to the credibility and cache that a sponsor can bring to your show. For example, let’s say you’re considering listening to Onward Nation for the first time…and you see an ad for… “Onward Nation with Stephen Woessner.” Versus if you happened to hear… “Onward Nation with Stephen Woessner, brought to you by Bank of America.” Which one sounds more credible? Exactly! The opportunity of having a Bank of America or some other large brand connected to your brand provides you with some degree of transference of their credibility over to you and your brand. So, I knew that I needed to figure out the strategy behind sponsorship as a way to take Onward Nation to that next level. But I had no idea where to start. And then – as is the case often in life – I got the push that I needed in order to make the change that I needed to make. AMACOM, my publisher for my book being released in mid-September entitled “Profitable Podcasting,” asked me to write a chapter that provided insights into how to attract and sell a sponsorship for a podcast. “I’m sorry, what was that?” is how I initially felt. Gulp. I had no idea how I would provide value in an area where I had not developed mastery. However, instead of letting the fear of the assignment linger, I quickly told myself that the recipe that would result from the assignment would give me with another example to share how a podcast could be used as a tool to collect the primary research needed so the chapter — a book chapter outside of my expertise — could be done and done efficiently. And in full transparency, doing the research, filled in a skills gap for me so I know have what I need in order to close a big sponsorship deal on behalf of Onward Nation. I will share the news toward the end of this year — but oh my — it’s exciting to think about. Game changing. So, for today’s lesson, I will share the full sponsorship recipe with you. What I learned along the way, from whom I had the honor of learning, and how you can take and apply the same knowledge to attract the right sponsor for your podcast. Okay…so how did I do the research? In order to write a great chapter for the book, I knew that I needed to interview the right expert. So my first call was to Wendy Keller, my exceptional literary agent and great friend. She orbits the distant moon of awesome – she is otherworldly. Yes, I’m kind of a big fan. When I shared my challenge with Wendy, she quickly said to me, “Oh, I know exactly who you should interview for the chapter.” BA-BAM. And that’s another reason why you need the right inner circle, Onward Nation. Why you need to surround yourself with the right experts, the right mentors, and friends who are moving at the same pace and tempo you want to be moving at. Five minutes later, Wendy had connected me with Linda Hollander, one of today’s leading authorities on the topic of sponsorships. Both Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine have featured Linda as the industry leader in how to sell corporate sponsorships. Linda has over 20-years of experience as a business owner. Her clients and sponsors include Microsoft, FedEx, Citibank, Mattel, Bank of America, Marriott, Health Net, American Airlines, IBM, and Wal-Mart. Her client list reads like a “Who’s Who” in corporate sponsorship. Just go to www.sponsorconcierge.com to find Linda. Wendy suggested I interview Linda then transcribe the interview and turn it into a chapter for the book. Brilliant. I followed Wendy’s blueprint — interviewed Linda — and viola — Chapter 16 with deep expertise from one of the industry’s leading experts on the topic was done. And I was a heck of a lot smarter after having learned directly from Linda. Rock solid awesome!! But in order for that to happen – I had to set my fear and ego aside and focus on the assignment – and let go of the fact that I didn’t know something about the world of podcasting. I am taking you so deep behind the green curtain here because I want you to see – everyone deals with fear – everyone has obstacles – everyone is uncomfortable from time-to-time in their business – everyone deals with the imposter syndrome. Everyone. But the true measure of greatness – is whether you will let it paralyze you – or – will you push past it and walk toward your destiny. I believe in you, Onward Nation. You are just one phone call or one interview with an expert away from finding that missing piece that will ignite your business to the next level. Have the guts to make the calls, Onward Nation. Get out there and leverage your podcast as a tool for collecting primary research from top experts — even if your expertise lies outside the area being researched. The interviews you conduct will provide your podcast listeners and true fans with exceptional value, just as Linda did for you. And the transcripts of your interviews can be converted into chapters for your book. So here we go…let’s dig in to learn how to master a new skill…the skill of attracting the right sponsor for your podcast…a sponsor who can provide financial resources to support your show…but more importantly…a sponsor who can lend their brand to you…and in doing so…provide you and your show with additional credibility. So you can get the full context of what I learned from Linda, I am going to share the specific questions I asked Linda – so you can model them – revise them – and then use them when you interview your industry experts. So here we go… For my first question, I asked Linda… “Please take us back to the beginning and your first event so business owners reading this can have the full context of what you have accomplished.” I asked Linda this for two reasons: 1) it is an easy, soft question that helps develop rapport at the beginning of a conversation when two people are just learning about one another. It would be inappropriate if I asked Linda to share all of her deepest and most valuable sponsorship strategies as the first question. That would be way too abrupt. So focus on building some rapport first. And 2) because I always wanted to know Linda’s backstory because it is wonderful context to know that she came from nothing – and yet – she pushed herself to be more – and despite the odds and the fear – she was successful in securing Bank of America as her first sponsor. She is amazing. So in Linda’s words… She had the privilege of working with some great top tier sponsors but it wasn’t always that way. Many of her clients early on in her business were women so she wanted to start the Women’s Small Business Expo to deliver even more value to clients. But she needed sponsors because putting on an event is cash intensive. Ultimately, her first sponsors were Bank of America, Wal-Mart, and IBM. She had never done an event in her life. She had no idea how to do an event. She had no experience. She had no following. She had her parents on her email list. She put her brother-in-law on her email list, too. They weren’t going to tell her no. If she could have put her cat on there, she would have done that. But despite how she started out, she was able to attract several top tier sponsors. And when her event attendees came, they would ask Linda, “How the heck are you getting these sponsors? We thought you had to be a big company and have all this experience and track record,” and Linda said, “Absolutely no.” Then Linda knew there was a need in the marketplace for training business owners how to attract sponsors. She lost a lot of time and money when she first started to learn the sponsorship game. It took her six months to get my first proposal together and she lost $75,000 in the process. Linda told me, Onward Nation that it was painful, it was excruciating. Some people wouldn’t even talk to her because she was a micro-business. But, there were also people who said to Linda, “You know what? I’ll talk to you. I’ll help you.” Then she said to herself, “When I learn this stuff, I’m going to teach other business owners how to do it.” Amazing backstory don’t you think, Onward Nation? Does that help push some of the fear or apprehension aside for you? She started with nothing – no following – nothing – and she went out and did it anyway. She is rock solid awesome. Okay, let’s press on. Next I asked, Linda… “Let’s start off with some definitions. When we hear “sponsor” that could mean different things depending upon someone’s business model. What does sponsorship mean, what does a sponsor want to sponsor, are they programs, events, or businesses?” Linda shared that the definition of sponsorship is “Connecting a company with people who can buy things.” If you know people who can buy stuff, then you can get sponsors. Linda wants you to know that it is a lot simpler than what most business owners think. In fact…here’s what is “sponsorable.” If you have a business — that could be sponsored. If you host a radio show If you host a podcast If you host a television show or YouTube channel, or a blog All of that can be sponsored. And of course, if you host events like Linda, you can get sponsors because sponsors love live events. If you’re a speaker or an author, you can get sponsored, because as a speaker and an author you have access to an audience — a fanbase of people — who know your work and know your book, and as a speaker you command the platform. Companies don’t have people who can speak, who can command a platform, or capture the attention of an audience. So that is a huge advantage for you, Onward Nation! At this point in my interview with Linda – I started feeling excited and actually really confident. And the fear, you might ask? What fear? HA! Linda had me so completely energized by the possibilities I was learning from her! Next I wanted to learn about the pitfalls – the common mistakes business owners make when they head down the sponsorship path so you, Onward Nation – and me – could try to avoid the same $75,000 mistakes Linda had experienced. So I asked Linda… “What are some of the biggest mistakes you see business owners making time and time again as they pursue sponsorships?” She let me know there are a few mistakes to be weary of, and she’s made all of them, so the lessons she could share were directly from her hands-on experience. The first mistake is, believe it or not, is not asking for enough money. What?!? I thought to myself! Linda went on to explain that asking for too little money can hurt a business owner because they are, in effect, telling a sponsor they don’t have anything of value to offer. Linda often gets calls from business owners who are trying to sell their $500 sponsor package. They’re going to be presenting to a busy, stressed-out person inside a company, and if they see a sponsor package priced at $500, they’re going to think the business owner doesn’t have anything of value. In the sponsorship process, you have what’s called your “Champion,” and this is the person within the sponsoring company who loves you, but they have to sell you and your program to their colleagues, their team, and their boss, and maybe the people working under them to get it approved. Onward Nation, your pricing strategy needs to communicate value in order for them to do that. For most of Linda’s clients, what she sees them typically win is between $10,000 and $100,000 in annual sponsor fees. If you do an event, if you have a podcast, or something else that is episode-to-episode, bundle everything together for the year and sell an annual sponsorship because you’re going to be more successful in properly positioning yourself with sponsors. The second mistake business owners make is not using an industry standard proposal. According to Linda, your sponsor proposal is one of the most important but least understood documents. You have to use an industry standard format or you will not get funded. Your proposal must look amazing and have the right compelling benefits. So to recap, Onward Nation – the two biggest mistakes you need to avoid are asking for too little money and not having a good proposal. Okay, I was really intrigued by what Linda was teaching me, and I knew that in order for the lessons to have the most value to you and to the readers of my book, Linda and I needed to drill in deeper on the topic of sponsorships for podcasting. So I asked Linda… “Let’s say you’re a podcaster. Sounds like you would try to sell an annual sponsorship of your show instead of weekly episodes, but you would also package in your entire platform including social media, email lists, webinars, events, etc., right?” In Linda’s opinion, yes, you want them to sponsor your entire brand — not a single show. It took Linda a while to figure this out because at first she started to have sponsors for her events and then thought, “Wait a minute, I’ve got a whole brand here.” When she had them sponsor her brand, she made a whole lot more money. Instead of a business owner saying, “I’m a podcaster,” you should brand yourself as a “media company” who does podcasting because sponsors are not quite in love with podcasting yet. It’s still new. It’s still cutting edge. But if you say you’re a media company, Onward Nation then their ears are going to perk up. Then they’re going to be interested. Talk about your podcast, but then talk about the other things you do such as, email blasts, social media, maybe even YouTube. Talk about all of the touch points you have. Then Linda took me back to the definition of sponsorship; “Connecting a company to people who buy things.” Onward Nation, you need to tell your prospective sponsors how you can connect them to people who could but their stuff. At this point in the learning from Linda, I was feeling really confident about the steps, the process, the upside, and the mistakes that needed to be avoided in order to save time and cash. Then I had another spark of fear – but in full transparency – it was probably more ego than fear – when I had the thought, “Wait a minute…if I sell a sponsorship for Onward Nation to a Bank of America, for example, doesn’t that diminish our own brand in some way?” So, I took the opportunity to ask Linda because I figured if I was thinking it – and could potentially turn that into a roadblock – then maybe other business owners would be asking themselves the same question. The best way to push that aside was to ask the expert. So Linda… “Do I diminish my own brand if I go get a sponsor?” And she put my mind at ease by letting me know that she is asked that question a lot because as business owners, we want to be independent, we don’t want to have a company influence what we’re going to say, and we don’t want the appearance that we’re biased. Linda has never had a sponsor try to influence her content in 16-years of doing this. And if they ever did, she would just say, “Hey, that’s not part of the program.” Onward Nation, you design your program — the sponsor writes the check — that’s what goes on with sponsorships. Also, the promotion of your sponsor does not have to be outlandish or in your face. The promotion can be elegant and understated, such as signage, banner ads, or things you put on your website. And if you do recommend a company like when Linda was working with Citibank, and she would recommend Citibank, she would disclose it by saying, “I need to disclose that Citibank is my sponsor,” and then you are in integrity by disclosing it. So know Linda was removing trap door after trap door and each and every excuse I was letting creep back into my mind. I was loving this conversation and the opportunity to learn from someone who has been so successful in this arena – but for me – even more important – was that she had scraped her knees, and busted an elbow, a time or two. She had the in-the-trenches experience that I love and really value. And if you have been listening to Onward Nation, you know I am a big fan of success secrets…those things…that if we apply them give us the ability to make stochastic jumps onward to new levels. So I asked Linda… “Are there any secrets to success business owners need to apply in order to be successful in attracting a sponsor?” Linda let me know that a secret is to make your sponsor the star. Most business owners when they try to get a sponsor, they fall into the trap of talking about what their business does, they might say things like, “I’ve have this great podcast, I have this great book, I have a great business, I have a great non-profit, or event, etc.” Business owners can sometimes talk about themselves and that’s not the way to get a sponsor. The way to get a sponsor is to talk to the sponsor about what you can do for them. Say, “Hey, Mr., Ms. Sponsor, I’m going to educate people about your products and your services. I’m going to help you increase your product and your brand loyalty. I’m going to help you grow your customer base. I’m going to help you drive sales and traffic.” Do you see the difference, Onward Nation? You’re saying, “Hey, the sponsor is the star” and your prospective sponsor is going to look at that and say, “Hey, this business owner understands that it’s about me and not about them.” You’ll tell them a little bit about what you do because they have to understand it, but mostly what you’re going to tell the sponsor is “Here’s how I’m going to benefit your company, here’s what I’m going to do for you.” Okay, Onward Nation – at this point in the interview, my confidence was soaring. I was beginning to think through the pitch and presentation – my thoughts were going to sales strategy and other ideas were firing. But, an essential component to any strategy is timing. How long would something like this take to pull together? So I asked Linda for her help about timelines… “Let’s talk timelines. How fast does, or maybe how long, is the sales cycle you typically see for attracting $10,000 to $100,000 sponsorships?” Linda started by reminding me that sponsorships are a relationship business. You need time to develop relationships with companies. Here’s where it’s going to be maybe a little bit of a shock to business owners. Linda recommends eight months to a year before you need the funding to start approaching prospective sponsors. Linda went on to tell me why. If you’re approaching Microsoft, FedEx, Staples (those are called the “Top Tier” sponsors), they have a process. You have to apply and you have to wait for them to approve it. They like to have a lot of lead time because whatever you are doing you have to talk about how you are going to work with their company, what kind of a program you are going to build together, and it takes time to develop that depth of a relationship. It will take time to get your first sponsor. But, Linda also shared some thoughts on how to complete the process quicker. There are “Top Tier” sponsors and then are “Second Tier” sponsors. In the banking industry (and banks are a great place to find sponsorships, by the way), Linda has worked with Bank of America and Citibank. They are top tier. But there may be a local community bank where you live, Onward Nation. There may be an up and coming player in the banking industry you might want to work with. That won’t take as long because it’s easier to get to the decision makers and to get that process of sponsorship started. The amazing thing about sponsorships being a relationship business is that there is something called renewals in sponsorships. And renewals are magic. Renewals are your cash machine because if a sponsor likes you, they can fund you this year, next year, and the next year. Linda has sold multi-year sponsorships with FedEx and Citibank. Her clients have had multi-year contracts with Verizon, Dole Foods, and Black and Decker just to name a few. It’s not a quick cash strategy. It is a long-term strategy to fund your business, Onward Nation. That’s why Linda recommends that business owners go for a one-year contract because one-year is about enough time to really analyze the relationship and if the sponsor wants to continue. If your sponsorship is from event-to-event, or episode-to-episode, a sponsor is not going to see that much growth as far as return on investment, so they are less likely to renew. Now it was time to begin formalizing the recipe – I could see the individual ingredients – but I needed Linda’s master skills with the recipe to help pull it all together so I could see the result outcome she was already envisioning. So I asked Linda… “Let’s get tactical and think about key steps in the process, the action plan, things that are going to improve the probability of success. If you were to give business owners one, two, or three things they need to do, what would those steps be?” Linda was kind enough to share a three-step process to attracting a sponsor. The first part is to do what she calls the “Sponsor Wish List.” The wish list is the list of companies that you would like to have as sponsors. Remember in your sponsor wish list to include both Top Tier and the Second Tier sponsors. Most business owners when they start their wish list think only of Top Tier sponsors. Go deeper. Since Linda and I had already talked about the banking industry, she then shifted to talk insurance. Yes, banking and insurance may be perceived by some business owners as boring industries. Everyone wants glam sponsors like fashion, cosmetics, and accessories. But the boring companies have the money. Let’s take the insurance category, you’re going to think of State Farm, and AFLAC, and all the ones that have paid to be top of mind. Then go a little deeper by doing some Google searches into smaller insurance companies, the up and coming brands, because the up and coming brands need you to get their name out. Linda told me that these second tier companies are outstanding prospects because they don’t have the brand awareness of the big brands and will be more open to what you have to offer, Onward Nation. Linda then shared a tangible example of that in practice. She worked with a company called Evolution Insurance Brokers. Nobody has ever heard of Evolution Insurance Brokers, and that is exactly why they sponsored her. They wanted to get the word out about their company. They’re not AFLAC, they’re not State Farm, they’re not the big players in the industry. But, Onward Nation…the second tiers have money to invest. Linda was not able to disclose exactly the value of the sponsorship with Evolution Insurance Brokers, but it was 5-figures. Step two is preparing your professional proposal. Linda recommends writing what she calls an “Industry Standard Sponsor Proposal.” The full sponsor proposal is about eight to ten pages in length and here’s what it includes: A description of your “property.” Onward Nation, write down the word “property” because what you do now is called the “property.” Your podcast is a property. Your book is a property. Your speaking business is a property. Your business, your event, your non-profit, whatever you are doing is called a property. You want to describe that. You should include your sponsor’s goals, which should be similar to what we talked about earlier in this chapter, such as increasing brand loyalty and customer base, and educating people, and driving traffic and sales, and all that. You should include a one-page marketing plan. It includes all the ways you’re going to get the word out about the sponsor. Sponsors are interested in this because marketing is the difference between a good idea someone has in their head and something that actually has legs and is sustainable. You should include your demographics. Whether your demographics are mothers, the parent market, the entrepreneurial market, the urban youth, the baby boomer market, you need to describe your demographics. Include any testimonials you have. You should include your sponsor fees like the ones we’ve talked about. The last thing, and here is how Linda and her team write proposals differently than anyone else in the country, is storytelling. You want to have good storytelling inside your proposal. Linda calls it “passion points.” Linda is able to sells sponsors because she doesn’t just put in the proposal what’s called your “pretty bio.” The pretty bio is your education, and the awards you won, and your experience. All of that is nice but what you want is to be vulnerable, you need to make a human connection, because you’re not just pitching to a faceless cooperation. You are pitching to a person, a human being, and you want to show your humanity. In Linda’s story, she talks about how she was in the poverty trap. She talks about how she was in an abusive relationship. Her story has helped her secure sponsors because you want them to see you as a real person. The emotional connection is important, Onward Nation. You want to put beautiful storytelling in there. If you don’t want to include your own story, put the story of someone you’ve helped through the work you do. Be sure to include some emotion. Business owners often make the mistake of thinking, “Oh, I’m going to impress them, and I’m going to put facts, and figures, and statistics in there.” But unfortunately, that is not going help you rise above the competition. Be human. All of the proposal ingredients from Linda really had me energized, Onward Nation. But then I started thinking about tools and other resources that I might also need to know about in order to make the process of selling a top tier sponsor as efficient as possible from a time perspective. So I asked Linda… “Are there any other tools, any other resources you think business owners ought to study to make this process as efficient and effective as possible?” Linda shared that her website at www.sponsorconcierge.com includes two free gifts. One is the “Number 1 Secret to Getting Corporate Sponsors.” And the second is that she does free sponsor strategy sessions with business owners so they can book a sponsor strategy session with me. During the sessions, she takes a look at what you’re currently doing, and together, you develop a success strategy to attract the right sponsor. To close out the interview, I asked Linda if she had any final advice that she thought we might have missed during our discussion. Linda closed by sharing how important it was for business owners to know that they can do this. The number one question Linda is most often asked is, “Why would a sponsor want to work with little ole’ me? I’m just getting started. I’m not a big company. I don’t have a track record. I don’t have a big following.” And Linda said to me, “Stephen, please know you can do this. You have value. You have things a sponsor is going to be attracted to. You just need to package it in the right way.” She reinforced the point by telling me the story about how she got her first sponsor… Linda lives in Los Angeles, California, so when she first had the idea to do her initial event, she was driving around in her clunker car and she of course was stuck in a traffic jam. She looked up and see a billboard for Bank of America and there’s a woman featured within the billboard design, so Linda thinks to herself, “Okay, they’re trying to get the women’s market.” Immediately, she starts doing self-sabotaging and thinking, “Why the heck would they talk to me? I’m just working from my home from my kitchen table. I’m not a big company. What the heck am I going to offer Bank of America?” But Linda’s dream and mission to help people was so strong that she couldn’t get it out of her head. So she got the courage to make a call to Bank of America and finally got the person who could greenlight the sponsorships. She finished her proposal, got everything done, and had an appointment at their office – and she was super nervous. Then he said to Linda, “Well, let’s see your proposal,” and she handed it to him. And he said, “Okay, well we’re going to go for this level of sponsorship,” and it was a five-figure sponsorship. Linda had to act like she did this all the time so she said, “Oh, great,” and then had to shake his hand but her hand was so clammy she had to wipe it off! She got back in my car and did the happy dance right there in the parking lot! She drove home and waved to all the Bank of America branches on her way home. You never know what’s going to happen, Onward Nation. It all starts with a thought. It starts with a dream. It starts with a vision. We’re taught to have these big dreams but we’re not taught how to finance the dreams, and dreams take money, and that’s where sponsors come in. You can do this! Hold your head up high. Know that you have quality and you bring value to your sponsors — and — you can fund your dreams. So with that said, Onward Nation… I want to thank you for taking the time to be here with me today. It is an honor to have you here — thank you for tuning in — your time is sacred and I am delighted you chose this episode to be what you listen to, study, and take with you on your morning run, or maybe Onward Nation has become part of your daily commute, or in some other way has become part of your morning routine. However our daily podcast fits into your daily routine — I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the strategies we learn and share each day from today’s top business owners. And if you haven’t already downloaded your copy of our 12 Success Strategies eBook, just text the word “onward” to 6-6-8-6-6. Again, text the word “onward” to 6-6-8-6-6 and we will send it right to your Inbox. Onward with gusto!