Podcast appearances and mentions of mike volkin

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, Mike Volkin. He is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, marketing consultant, fractional Chief Marketing Officer, Army veteran, and author of 7 books. In addition, he has built and sold 6 of his own companies. As a marketing leader, he specializes in helping businesses scale, particularly ones that help people, animals, and the environment. The Fractional CMO model is a smart solution for companies that may not require a full-time CMO but still need strategic direction and are seeking tailored strategic insights. Mike highlights that it is important to consider a balanced approach to marketing channels based on the available resources and staff skills, focusing on a few channels that can provide significant ROI. More About Mike Volkin: Mike's website If you're a marketing agency, looking for a marketing strategy: Your Marketing Expert Learn More About The Agency Intensive Certification: Learn more Take The Marketing Assessment: Marketingassessment.co

Our guest today is Mike Volkin, an entrepreneur, consultant, and top-rated freelancer for Upwork. As a fractional CMO and entrepreneur coach Mike has consulted with more than 400 companies. He's also an Army veteran, speaker, and author of 6 books -one bestseller. As a serial entrepreneur, he has built and sold 6 of his own companies. Today on Destination CMO Mike explains the strategy that led him to becoming one of the top-rated freelancers on Upwork. Mike also shares his advice for how entrepreneurs can build their freelancing careers, increase their revenue, and create passive income streams. Stream new podcast episodes at https://destinationcmo.com/Follow Mike in LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikevolkin/Follow Vincent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vphamvan/Join the Destination CMO community on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/destination-cmo/ Mike's website: https://mikevolkin.com/Mike's Freelancer Masterclass: https://www.udemy.com/user/mike-volkin/Mike's Upwork page: https://www.upwork.com/o/companies/~01af2160832b7a00eb/

Our guest, Mike Volkin, serial entrepreneur, author of 7 books (one best-seller), and 5 business exits joins us to discuss his 5 key steps to building a successful business in the tree care industry. Learn about his "First 5 Letters" Framework!

Are you living your dream life, or are you living someone else’s dream? Many people make big life decisions based on what other people want, which can lead to an unfulfilled life. How long will you wait before you grab the reins and become the leader you were destined to be? Mike grew up thinking that he would follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a scientist, so he did. He got three science degrees and began his career as a water chemist. Then everything changed. Three days after 9/11, Mike signed up for the military. He went on to serve for 8 years, with 1 year on active duty in Iraq. As harrowing as that sounds, Mike came out alive, on top, and used the skills and life lessons he’d learned to write 5 books, build and sell 4 companies, and work with over 400 others. Today, Mike is a serial entrepreneur, scientist, speaker, trainer, Army veteran, father, and author of 5 books. On this episode of the #IAmMovement podcast, Mike and I discuss why he decided to leave his job and join the military, how he overcame the labels he was given in order to follow his dreams, and how he went from being a scientist to being an entrepreneur.

Are you living your dream life, or are you living someone else’s dream?  Many people make big life decisions based on what other people want, which can lead to an unfulfilled life.  How long will you wait before you grab the reins and become the leader you were destined to be? Mike grew up thinking that he would follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a scientist, so he did. He got three science degrees and began his career as a water chemist.  Then everything changed. Three days after 9/11, Mike signed up for the military.  He went on to serve for 8 years, with 1 year on active duty in Iraq.  As harrowing as that sounds, Mike came out alive, on top,  and used the skills and life lessons he’d learned to write 5 books, build and sell 4 companies, and work with over 400 others. Today, Mike is a serial entrepreneur, scientist, speaker, trainer, Army veteran, father, and author of 5 books.   On this episode of the #IAmMovement podcast, Mike and I discuss why he decided to leave his job and join the military, how he overcame the labels he was given in order to follow his dreams, and how he went from being a scientist to being an entrepreneur.

Listen to this short audio snippet of Episode #52 as Mike talks about how to reach flow states and be more productive.

Listen to this short audio snippet of Episode #52 as Mike talks about how to boost neuroplasticity.

FREE RESOURCES! Check out the FREE resources, book recommendations, and show notes on our website: https://mindsethorizon.com/52 TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MINDSET HORIZON If you´re ready to start your own podcast, build credibility, and scale your impact and business we have good news for you! Our founder, Tibor, decided to provide a 30-minute FREE discovery call where you can have a discussion with him to see if podcasting is something that could help you scale your brand and business. Book a FREE discovery call with him here: http://bit.ly/30minFreeStrategySession BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE 1 – Learn more about the benefits of neuroplasticity, how to boost it, and how you can take advantage of it as an entrepreneur. 2 – Learn more about creative visualization and why Mike calls this practice his secret weapon as an entrepreneur. 3 – Learn more about how you can enter flow states more easily and how it can increase your productivity. TODAY´S GUEST Mike Volkin is a serial entrepreneur, U.S. Army veteran, and author of 5 books – one of which is a best seller. He has built and sold 4 of his own companies and worked with over 400 companies as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer. Currently, Mike is the lead instructor of Freelancer Masterclass, which is a 9-step online course designed to help freelancers grow their business and increase their time off. CONNECT WITH MIKE Website: https://www.mikevolkin.com/ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2WOqyrh STAY IN TOUCH! Join the Mindset Nation Community: http://bit.ly/2kBpB6X Subscribe to Our Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2kL6nvA YouTube: http://bit.ly/2mgfCnV LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/2KwHkGd Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kcP6em Instagram: http://bit.ly/2tYzQXy

Mike Volkin joins the panel to discuss the pros and cons to hourly billing. The panel discusses their challenges with value based and fixed-price pricing and get recommendations from Mike and the rest of the panel. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Petra Manos Charles Max Wood Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i | Enjoy the luxuries of freelancing LessAccounting | An easy to use software plus a bookkeeping service done by a real human Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________ Links The Freelancers' Show 109 - How to Determine Value and Set Pricing with Kirk Bowman Picks Brad Large: The 4-Hour Body Assault Airbike Classic Tiwal 3 Small Sailboat Brooks Forsyth: StackShare Petra Manos: Japanese Knitting Stitches Charles Max Wood: The Expanse Mike Volkin: Picsnippets.com

Mike Volkin joins the panel to discuss the pros and cons to hourly billing. The panel discusses their challenges with value based and fixed-price pricing and get recommendations from Mike and the rest of the panel. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Petra Manos Charles Max Wood Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i | Enjoy the luxuries of freelancing LessAccounting | An easy to use software plus a bookkeeping service done by a real human Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________ Links The Freelancers' Show 109 - How to Determine Value and Set Pricing with Kirk Bowman Picks Brad Large: The 4-Hour Body Assault Airbike Classic Tiwal 3 Small Sailboat Brooks Forsyth: StackShare Petra Manos: Japanese Knitting Stitches Charles Max Wood: The Expanse Mike Volkin: Picsnippets.com

Mike Volkin is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, Army veteran, and author of 5 books (one bestseller). He has built and sold 4 companies. As a marketing leader, he specializes in building company value through great branding.     Throughout his career, Mike has worked with over 400 small and mid-sized businesses and has a tremendous track record of driving company growth and brand awareness through the development and implementation of a variety of marketing programs.   What sets Mike apart is his energy. Seeing Mike yawn is equivalent to seeing the birth of a rainbow, it just doesn’t happen that often. Mike LOVES what he does and it shows. His scientific background combined with his vast marketing skills create an intense curiosity to both explore and execute new and timeless marketing tactics for both his own business ventures and for his clients.   The "Volkinator" and Lou Diamond talk branding in depth on this educational podcast.   ** CONNECT TO LOU DIAMOND: www.loudiamond.net SUBSCRIBE TO THRIVELOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcast  

Grab your coffee and get ready to have some fun! This week's episode features Chelsea Craig, Founder of Rhino Reviews who shares her horrible boss experience and some valuable take-aways. Here's the 411 on Chelsea: Chelsea launched Rhino Reviews in 2018 with the goal of supporting small businesses in the digital space. As a daughter of a small business owner, she has witnessed first hand the stress and work it takes to build a business and is passionate about helping find solutions that allow businesses to not only grow but thrive. Chelsea has worked with over 80 businesses in all industries, including luxury construction, digital, energy, property management, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and education, to help build or repair their online reputation by growing and leveraging their online reviews. She is both Google and Reputation Management certified and always looking to expand her knowledge in the field as the digital space is constantly changing. She has been a guest on multiple podcasts and shows allowing her the opportunity to discuss the business growth, strategy, and mission. Additionally, she is a coach for Mike Volkin's masterclass, teaching about how to leverage testimonials for your professional career.

Creative visualization can help reduce stress, envision possibilities, and stay motivated. Mike Volkin talks us about how he's upped his game in several facets of life by practicing creative visualization and meditation. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Charles Max Wood Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors Cloudways Use Promo code "DEVCHAT" for 30% off for 3 months on all plans Sentry Use code "devchat" for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________ Links The Power of Neurplasticity Mikevolkin.com Freelancer Masterclass Picks Brad Large: Thinking Fast and Slow Brooks Forsyth: Hammerspoon Karabiner Charles Max Wood: Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself Clean Coders Podcast Devchat.tv Workshops Mike Volkin: The Secret Joe Dispenza

Creative visualization can help reduce stress, envision possibilities, and stay motivated. Mike Volkin talks us about how he's upped his game in several facets of life by practicing creative visualization and meditation. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Charles Max Wood Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors Cloudways Use Promo code "DEVCHAT" for 30% off for 3 months on all plans Sentry Use code "devchat" for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________ Links The Power of Neurplasticity Mikevolkin.com Freelancer Masterclass Picks Brad Large: Thinking Fast and Slow Brooks Forsyth: Hammerspoon Karabiner Charles Max Wood: Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself Clean Coders Podcast Devchat.tv Workshops Mike Volkin: The Secret Joe Dispenza

In today’s show, we talk ALL about neuroplasticity and brain hacks for the busy entrepreneur to maximize productivity and memory in the midst of our chaotic workloads. He talks about a memorization hack that will absolutely change your life (trust us, we were SHOOK), time management and productivity strategies that will cut out all the time you’re wasting in your business, and even at the end - one of the most comprehensive lists of marketing strategies that we’ve ever heard. The best part? Every single strategy Mike drops in today’s episode is IMMEDIATELY actionable. So if you’re ready to walk away with a pile of the most tangible business strategies and brain hacks you’ve ever heard… listen up!   Show notes: https://theheartuniversity.com/019-the-neuroplastic-entrepreneur-with-mike-volkin HoneyBook: www.share.honeybook.com/heart In addition to a FREE 7 day trial, get 50% off your first year of HoneyBook, a $200 value!!    If you want to connect with us and other listeners in the Heart and Hustle community join our Facebook group here.   Deep Work by Cal NewPort Peek Performance by Brad Stolberg & Steve Magness   www.Mikevolkin.com https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ www.freelancermasterclass.com/free   Follow along: www.instagram.com/evierupp www.instagram.com/mrslindseyroman www.instagram.com/theheartuniversity   Podcast inquiries: podcast@theheartuniversity.com

In this episode, I talk to Mike Volkin about: - How joining the army helped him catch the entrepreneurial bug - The 4 businesses Mike started and sold (and his approach that created the success for each) - What Mike recommends to solopreneurs and business owners on marketing and starting or growing your business! And much more. ----- Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and if you enjoy it, join the SG email list to get more business insight and content right to your inbox every week: https://www.solopreneurgrind.com/join/ ----- Where to find Mike: https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/free https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClCcBUNVVgEkYstTnQvt3TQ

Introducing Mike Volkin Today's guest joining us on the Join Up Dots show is Mr Mike Volkin, who is big on freelancing and making this approach work for others. As he says "I have built and sold 4 companies and wrote 5 books (one-best seller). I recently launched Freelancer Masterclass to empower all those who side-hustle who want to make real income (that will replace their full-time job..) But he wasn't always as focused on this as you might expect. Leaving the Stephen F Austin State University with a master of science, environmental science and biology in 2000, he moved through several marketing positions within the corporate world for nearly twenty years. But as we see time and time again, an idea was brewing until it couldn't be denied anymore and he gave birth to that idea and made it real. That was Freelancer Masterclass in April 2019, which is a 9 step course that is 100% online. The courses contain video content, homework and quizzes. Along with the courses are interactive student chat boards and live bi-weekly classes so you can continue your education and interact with students and instructors. The instructors at Freelancer Masterclass are the best...of the best....of the best. These are freelancers who have proven themselves to be a master in their field. So was this idea one that once launched was perfect from the beginning or did it grow over a period of time? And why did it take so long for this action taking to truly start in earnest? Well let's find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Mr. Mike Volkin Show Highlights During the show we discussed such weighty subjects with Mike Volkin such as: Mike shares how he used to try to function on less than four hours sleep per night and how it made him reassess. Mike reveals how he once spent over $40,000 on a website before ever checking to see that it was market fit. Big mistake How 30% of the worlds population are now freelancing across the world, a figure that is expanding every year. And lastly................. Mike shares how his passion has changed dramatically when the entrepreneurial bug really beat into him and the steps that he took. How To Connect With Mike Volkin Website Facebook Twitter Linkedin Return To The Top Of Mike Volkin If you enjoyed this episode with Mike Volkin, why not check out other inspirational chat with Clayton Morris, Dorie Clark, and the amazing Niall Doherty You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here– enjoy Interview Transcription For Mike Volkin Interview David Ralph 0:00 Once upon a time, there was a guy with a dream, a dream to quit his job support himself online and have a kick ass life. Little did he know that dream would lead him into a world of struggle, burnout and debt, until he found the magic ingredient and no struggles became a thing of the past. I of course, was that person. And now My dream is to make things happen for you. Welcome to Join Up Dots. Intro 0:27 When we're young that we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be, but somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling in Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here's your host live from the back of his garden in the UK. David Ralph. David Ralph 0:52 Yes. Hello, man. Good morning, everybody. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning and welcome to another power fueled inspirational moment. combinational conversational episode of Join Up Dots. As you would expect if you've been listening to Join Up Dots over the last six years. That's what we deliver and we're going to deliver it again to you. But today's guest joining us on the show is big on freelancing and making this approach work for others. As he says, I've built and sold four companies and wrote five books one bestseller, and I recently launched Freelancer masterclass to empower all those who side hustle who want to make real income that will replace their full time job. But it wasn't always as focused on this, as you might expect, leaving the Stephen F. Austin State University with a Master's of Science, environmental science and biology in 2000. He moved through several marketing positions within the corporate world for nearly 20 years. But I guess as we see time and time again, an idea was brewing until it couldn't be denied anymore, and he gave birth to that idea and made it real. Now that was Freelancer masterclass in April 2019. Which is a nine step course that is 100%. Online. The course contains video content, homework and quizzes. Along with the courses are interactive student chat boards and lively bi weekly classes. So you can continue your education and interact with students and instructors. Instructors at Freelancer master class are the best of the best of the best. These are freelancers who have proven themselves to be a master in their field. So what's this idea one that once launch was perfect from the beginning? Or did it kind of come out a bit ugly and grow over a period of time? And why did it take so long for this action truly to start taking shape? Right now as we bring on to the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Mr. Mike Volkin. Good morning Mike. How are you? Mike Volkin 2:50 That was quite the introduction. I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on a longtime fan. David Ralph 2:54 I've we picked you up because when we first connected you was all floaty and all relaxed and you said you've just you just been Busy meditating, I don't think you can be busy meditating. But you'd certainly sounded like you'd got the benefits of it. Mike Volkin 3:07 Yeah, I'm really into meditating now, because I'm just getting to the point where I'm good enough that it's making a positive impact and on my stress and my time management, so I try to do it before guest podcasts like this and other other live events. So it's, it really helps me out. David Ralph 3:24 Now, I'm going to jump straight into this because my listeners will have heard me mentioned this, I can't do it. I can't do it. I, I kind of expect to be floating three feet off the off the floor. And then somebody the other day said to me know, as long as you're sitting there relaxed, then that's meditation as well. It doesn't have to be rolling white eyeballs, and sort of weird things happening. What do you do? How do you get into it? Is it just sort of just relaxing and then just thinking about things? Mike Volkin 3:54 Yeah, the best part about meditation is you really can't do it wrong. You just got to stick with it. It's kind of like going to the gym the first few times. You go it kind of feels weird and uncomfortable and different. You know, first time I meditated, I'm like, What am I doing in this empty room by myself, it kind of felt weird. But then, uh, you know, you stick with it. And after three weeks and four weeks, it's kind of you feel a little bit of some of the benefits. And then you just like going to the gym after a couple months, you start to see some noticeable changes. So really, what I do is I just, I sit in a room, I actually use an app called headspace. There's lots of apps out there, there's one called clear that's very positive, that's very unpopular. But really, I just let the guided meditation, meditation and voice just do its thing for 10 to 15 minutes, I just sit there, I make sure I don't lay down a lot of people make that mistake is they just they lay down, they get to relax. But with meditation, you want to be up and alert, I sit in a chair, and I just let my thoughts and my brain go with the flow and take it where it may and at the end of 10 minutes I just feel a lot more relaxed, a lot more focus, which is the big thing. And I really think now it's getting to a point where it's it's almost an investment on my time. If I don't do it, I kind of feel unproductive. David Ralph 5:02 Yeah, now I agree with you. I went through a big phase of Hustle, Hustle, Hustle, Hustle, Hustle and got into some terrible condition. Now my thing is sleep, I get as much sleep as I can humanly squeeze into me. And you know, I just don't see it as a waste of time. I used to, I used to. So were you ever that kind of entrepreneurial idiot, but so many of us are where we go, I only need three hours sleep a month, and I can still function where you've ever that kind of guy. Mike Volkin 5:33 Yeah, you know, I mentioned I was a fan of the show, and I know I'm going to be doing a sermon on the mic. So that's one of the things I was mentioning is one of the big mistakes, or actually that's one of the things I will mention. During that sermon on the mic segment is one of the big mistakes I made when I was a serial entrepreneur still am but when I was really trying to build and sell companies fast, I was just working nonstop and I would lose sleep. I at best get four hours of sleep, trying to bring a product or service to market as fast possible. I know now, the real way to do it correctly is the exact opposite of Oh, hey, I did it. David Ralph 6:05 Now, what do we buy into that then Mike, why? Why does everybody either go through that? Is it to prove that they've actually committed? Because I kind of feel that that's the answer. We all kind of think, well, we can't say that women entrepreneur, we can't say we're starting a business unless we put any effort in. So let's really put the effort in. Mike Volkin 6:25 Yeah, it's almost like inspiration, you know, you get this inspiration, like you want to quit your job or you want to build a business or whatever is inspiring you and motivating you. And it's human nature, just to go all in 100% and really go after it, especially for someone who's entrepreneurial minded. But the real thing to do is pace yourself, you know, I'm a big tennis player, I, I play competitively. And, you know, what I want to do is I want to swing as fast as I can at every ball and hit the ball as hard as heck. But the real way to get the most control and most power out of the ball is to is to control your arm. It's kind of the same way with an entrepreneur. You don't go all in and Go fast, like like a sprint. You want to pace yourself and be smart about it. David Ralph 7:05 Now, let's get you into the freelancer world because that's why I invited you on the show because I, I like the idea of freelancing as a step towards entrepreneurship. I now after going through it, I think a lot of people could really do with being in the freelancer world for a couple of years as a tester to actually going out on their own. Would you agree? Mike Volkin 7:31 Absolutely. There's a term, you know, side hustlers. As you can imagine, it's a very popular gig economy. It's just getting so popular. It's I think, I saw a stat was an infographic by upwork.com, which is the largest Freelancer platform in the world, they, they had said that over 30% of people worldwide who have full time jobs, do some kind of side hustle. So it's getting super popular and now, companies are starting to be more in tune to hiring freelancers, as opposed to two full time employees. So who knows What the next 10 or even 20 years will bring for the gig economy. Now, David Ralph 8:04 one of the reasons I like the freelancer world is it helps people develop their skills without having to try to get customers because that is the fundamental difference between having a business and really having a business people will sit there in a pub going, yes, what I'm going to do is do this and do that. And they kind of think of it as a kind of visual sense of, yes, I'm going to get a website, I'm going to get some business cards, but they don't really grasp the fact of how difficult it is in the early days to get customers. So we've freelancing sites like Upwork and all the other ones. A lot of that is taken away from them, isn't it and a lot of it naturally comes from Mike Volkin 8:45 Yeah, I mean, it's, it's easy and it's also hard to be a freelancer. I mean, the more you do it, the more you'll find it easy but getting started is the hardest part. It's you know, I referenced going to the gym, getting started is the hardest part right is actually making a commitment. You know, the way I got started With a certain skill set that makes me a good amount of money as a freelancer is I just read a couple books, you know, I mean, I was a marketer for a while. And I wanted to get into the technical side of search engine optimization. So I just started reading all the best books I could find on search engine optimization. And then I got a couple clients that way, just just from the knowledge I got from books, and that was several years ago. Now there's great sites out there like EU to me, and you know, those sites with courses even, you know, my own site. And, you know, there's ways that you can learn online from, from the best people in the world that will bring you video instruction step by step courses. I mean, there's so many research sources out there that you just really have to pick what you really are passionate about, and go with it and not just pick something because it's popular because someone else told you you should get into it. I David Ralph 9:46 mean, a simple way to actually pay for it. Now. I think, you know, I know YouTube's out there. I know YouTube's good, but I do think laser focused content developed, kept up to date, which is a key thing as well is worth paying for and there's a company out there I can't think what they're called you're gonna know who visa Mike I'm sure we've got like Gordon Ramsay doing a cookery class for you and Steve Martin Mike Volkin 10:11 doing classes David Ralph 10:12 master class of a year ago. And you look at that and you think, Well, why wouldn't you pay for that? Why wouldn't you have Mr. Ramsey teaching you something? You're not going to get that kind of knowledge elsewhere? Well, yeah. Mike Volkin 10:24 Yeah, I mean, there's there's YouTube obviously, we can go and you can see scattered information, you can type in a keyword, you'll get a video or two on the topic here and there. But the reason why I did masterclass is because it's a step by step course progression with actual resources spreadsheets that I use in my everyday business, you know, homework assignments and quizzes to track your progress. You just not going to get that on, on sites where you're watching a video or two on a particular topic, every now and then. So what's really popular is these masterclass style of courses where it's just leading the, the viewer through one specific step at a time and then by the end, you're Kind of progressive this whole course. And now you're just, you know, a rock star whatever you're doing with with my masterclass Freelancer masterclass, it's a nine step course. So you finish one you don't start on Step three, you start in step one for a reason. And then you go on to two, three and four that way. David Ralph 11:15 Now one of the things of course, we are going to be talking about that, but one of the things that interests me about you is I do my homework, and I go and I delve around, and I could see that you you left University in 2000, and being your LinkedIn profile starts about 2010. And I'm intrigued by that 10 year what what were you doing? Well, you were you flew in around California getting drunk and surfing, what were you doing? Mike Volkin 11:42 That was last week. So I was I graduated and I played the corporate game for a while, you know, my father was a scientist and I kind of liked science in high school. So I figured what the heck I'll study science, environmental science and college, got a couple degrees, got a dual bachelor's degree and then I got a master's degree. Then I went out and I spent time doing some environmental consulting, and I freaking hated it. I mean, I liked the work. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't my passion. I mean, I was just living the weeks living the months that year by year went by, and I just, I just wasn't, it wasn't doing it for me, you know? So David Ralph 12:17 it wasn't a mic looking back on it now, why wasn't it because, you know, okay, you can float through, you get paid, you get a Christmas bonus or whatever. Why wasn't it doing it for you? Mike Volkin 12:27 You know, it was more along the lines of people telling me when I could go on vacation when I needed to go to work when I could leave. But really, the big thing was my life's purpose. You know, I started thinking about when people look down on my grave at my funeral, what what am I going to be known for? Is it for the bed, I worked for 20 years for this company. I mean, what I was doing, honestly, as a scientist, especially as an environmental scientist, and I would I would travel all over the country, and I would write reports for comfort corporations and factories to tell them how much they can pollute within the law. And, you know, that wasn't my whole purpose. This one was to tell companies how much they could literally pollute within the law of their of their state or the federal government. And I would help clean up certain sites, what's called Superfund sites. But, you know, ultimately, I mean, my passion just changed. I went from wanting to, you know, help the earth and being a lab and do measurements and studies to get that entrepreneurial bug that once once that hits you that hits your heart and hasn't let go sense David Ralph 13:25 because I remember when the bug hits me. And it was just the fact that I started looking around. And I think for many years, and I've referenced this a lot when I started work, I'm an older man when you Mike, but when I started in 1986, there was no internet. There was no email, there was nothing. So you basically were quite content. Looking back on it. There was no mobile phone. You just went to work. The old way of a big pile of paper, and then at the end of it, it was like just go home. But once you start looking around and seeing what other people are doing and what other people are sharing claim to fame, why not me? And it's the big part of my life that I think, why do other people not feel like that? You know, why is that person just beeping things through beep beep at the supermarket? Why are they just content to sit there? Why Why haven't they got that spoke? Mike Volkin 14:20 Yeah, you know, some people, the vast majority of people are like that, you know, I mean, my wife is one of those people who loves her job. She likes going in at eight she loves you know, getting off at five and she likes her off time and she likes her vacation time. There's no fault to you know, people who liked that. But there are a lot of us millions and millions of us who just get that sense of, you know, what would it be like if I put this product to market I've always had this idea in my head for a book I've, I wonder if my extra knowledge I have on I don't know, football coaching could make me some money and then once you get a taste, in my experience once you get a taste of being your own boss and working your own hours and work Wherever you want in the world, I mean, there's just no comparison to corporate life. You can give me all the vacation time and salary you want. There's, there's no no going back for me to corporate life. No, I David Ralph 15:10 agree 100% just the fact that I don't have to book holiday, I just kind of go and we can use don't really mean anything to me. They just have a blend into one. And there are restrictions, you know, we're not getting to get away from the fact that it's just a walk in the park because he's not. And we're going to come back to that shortly. Here's Oprah. Oprah Winfrey 15:30 The way through the challenge is to get still and ask yourself, what is the next right move? not think about, Oh, I got all of this stuff. What is the next right move? And then from that space, make the next right move, and the next right move and not to be overwhelmed by it because you know, your life is bigger than that one moment. You know, you're not defined by what somebody says is a failure for you because failure is just there to point You in a different direction. David Ralph 16:01 Now I remember walking around in the early days thinking, oh my god, everything's going to go terrible. Nobody's going to buy this, nobody's gonna buy that. And by weren't they weren't buying anything in the early days and I think it was kind of there was a desperation to me. There wasn't that Tom aim of bedding in an understanding actually what your value is you're just trying to pay bills. But I also look back on it, Mike. And this is where I'm leading with this question that even though I walked around thinking, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god never turned up. I always found a way through. I always manage to do something to pay that month's bills or find it from some other source. Do you look back at those kind of fledgling days when you fall? It was all a pack of cards and actually think I think it was a lot more stable than I imagined. Mike Volkin 16:53 He Yeah, that's a really good example. And I love that quote from Oprah. It's um, it's all about goals. You know? It's amazing what you can accomplish even if you think something isn't going to happen. And that's, you know, one of the things I talked about meditation, but I'm also into self talk positive self talk that helps as well. You know, somebody approaching a task, or even a goal as something you can't do. It's amazing what your brain is capable of. And, you know, there's a goal a right way to do goals in a wrong way. When I tell my Freelancer students to make goals, they usually just come back with a yearly revenue number. And I'm like, no, that's not a goal. You can't evaluate a goal after a full year, you have to break them up into smaller chunks. So just like what Oprah was saying, you know, don't just look at the big picture, look at what it's going to take to chunk that out into smaller pieces of goals. So one goal should be 10 or even 20 separate goals that are very attainable, but still challenging. That's the true way to make progress. David Ralph 17:48 episode eight of Join Up Dots. Six years ago, this was before I launched was a lady called Pamela slim. Now I'd never heard of Pamela slim and once I got her on the show a lot of people said to me Oh, how did you get her on the show and in those days I was just sending emails out willy nilly to people but they always remembers that she said but what she does with all her clients who are stuck is break down everything into those tiny little dots you know those tiny little chunks so it's not like right create a website and do this and do that too big. First of all it is you know, get a comfortable chair get your pens and paper you know tiny little tiny micro steps but lead you along that garden path and then you can quite easily build up build up progress because I think with what you've done and what so many people do, it frightens other people because they see the end sexy product and they don't see the ugly beginning Mike Volkin 18:46 Yeah, I mean look at any social media influencer with 5 million followers, making making their hundred thousand dollars a year on YouTube that you look at that and it's intimidating, but it took lots of milestones to get to that point and lots of individual goals. So, you know, it's, it's about making those goals but making them attainable. I had a client, a student who wanted to write a book and said, you know, Mike, how did you write five books? And I said, What is your book going to be about? And he told me and I didn't quite understand. So I said, you know, what, can you do me a favour and just write the Table of Contents as if you know, you'd be explaining it to me just write out the main chapters. And then he came back to me, he's like, okay, here's the table of contents. You know what I did, I actually wrote out the first first chapter as well, because I started getting into it. Once I wrote the table of contents and things started getting very clear. In my mind, I'm like, see, that's, that's how you do it. You were thinking about writing a book as it being a huge task. But all I did was I asked you to write the Table of Contents out, and now it's starting to form a book on its own. So you can take that analogy and form it to any tasks that you might have in your plate. Now, anybody listening, if there's something that you've always wanted to do that you're kind of always put there's always something that seems to be a priority over it, but it's something that you've been thinking about for years. You know, it's time just to take the smallest possible chunk and just just start doing it. Our goal this week to do something towards that, that chunk to get that started and you'll be surprised that it will be like a, like a rolling snowball downhill. It takes a little bit of effort to get that snowball forms. But once it starts going downhill, it's going to pick up steam on its own. David Ralph 20:12 Because I'm always blown away, Mike, I teach people how to build rocking and rolling online businesses that sort of change their lives. And I would say 95% of them turn up and they say, Oh, I bought URL already. I bought a domain name already. And I go well, what have you done now because you haven't defined your avatar you haven't defined your your goals, you haven't defined your offer. And I guarantee that's going to change as you proceed through. And I suppose what it is it's that enthusiasm to let's get going. But most of them won't give up that URL over. You know, it's about $9 and even though I say to them, Look, there's a bad one out there we can really get some traffic we can really get a brand going. They still want cling to that. That's strange, don't you think? I don't actually understand why I've never asked them but they seem strange to me. Mike Volkin 21:07 Yeah, that's where the experience of being an entrepreneur comes in. I mean, you got a growth hack that kind of stuff, why build out a website and, and I made those mistakes before I spent $40,000 building a business once before I even took it to market and then I realised once I started getting some customers that it wasn't the, the exact product market fit that they were looking for. But you know, it's just a matter of prioritising what needs to be done website very rarely comes first and like you said avatar, Product Market Fit competitive research that kind of stuff needs to be done but you know, that's sexy is to get a website and get a domain and now you feel official. And if that's okay, if it's something cheap and quick like getting a website, at least a domain, that's fine, but I wouldn't I would avoid building out a full website before you have all that other all your other ducks in a row, David Ralph 21:52 because only become fascinated recently about IP addresses. Now it just sounds boring, but I'm fascinated by Every single person has now got the ability to get different search results from Google because Google is so focused on local search, because that's the power. And I'm, I'm obsessed with this concept that every town is a market in itself, every street, and you start with looking at the people next door to you, more than you look across the globe. You know, I just find it fascinating. When I'm driving around my town thinking there's a market, there's a market and every single person has got the ability to dominate. Now, if we save that, why is it then that a lot of people think that it's more difficult than it is because it's not they're the only ones really living in that area? But you've got the the lion's share right at the very beginning? Is it knowledge, or is it belief, Mike? Mike Volkin 22:52 I think it's a combination of both but isn't it amazing? You're talking about, you know, in the at starting businesses in the 90s and I was starting in the Early 2000s it's like, I would have never imagined that I could run a Facebook or a Google ad that would target a specific neighbourhood in, you know, anywhere in my town or anywhere across the United States. I can get super specific if I wanted to target. You know, a freelancer who is specifically in California who makes is a side hustler in she does writing like, I could target that exact person for an exact course that I have. I mean, it's, it's just amazing the opportunities that are available now and where it's going in the future is even more amazing. I mean, with all this mobile technology, what cars have Wi Fi now, I mean, who knows where advertising is going to be five or 10 years from now, but it's certainly a lot different than just opening up the Yellow Pages, what we did a few decades ago, and that was literally your marketing department is where you are listed in the yellow pages. David Ralph 23:45 So we take you back to the freelancer route. Are we now saying that the freelancers I've got even more opportunity because of what we've just discussed, or have a better to, to go across the world and a better become global and I better to join up work and all these different sites but their network reach. Mike Volkin 24:07 Yeah, I know a lot of freelancers who just work in their area locally, there's something to be said about that. I live in Sonoma County in California. And there's a big wine region here, we produce a lot of the world's wine. And I know freelancers who are specific to working, just the wineries, and they are not interested in anything else other than outside of Sonoma County and Napa County out here that produces the fantastic wine. But then there's people like me, I've worked with clients in over 20 countries, and I love it. I think that's great. I'm working with a website right now. And Saudi Arabia is a women's clothing company of all companies. And it's just fascinating the cultural differences and the mar

Mike Volkin is the lead instructor at FreelancerMasterclass.com. He has built and sold 4 companies, written 5 books, one-best seller and now he is on a mission to help freelancers capture the freedom and money they deserve.  In this podcast, we talk about how Mike wrote his best-selling book, creative visualization, neuroplasticity, and some easy tips to boost your own neuroplasticity. To learn more, visit: http://honestecommerce.co Resources: Mike’s website mikevolkin.com Mike’s entrepreneur coaching program mikevolkin.com/entrepreneur-coaching/.  For part-time Ecommerce owners and part-time freelancers. freelancermasterclass.com Free 4-course webinar from Freelancer Masterclass freelancermasterclass.com/free

School is back in session with entrepreneur and lead instructor at Freelancer Masterclass, Mike Volkin. This time Mike’s telling us about neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and grow over time, and how knowing how to influence that change can help you break through the barriers and ceilings in your own life. We touch base with my Pomodoro experiment as well as Mike’s own takeaways from creative visualization and mindfulness. Mike Volkin is a speaker, a trainer, an Army veteran, and if that’s not enough he’s the author of five bestsellers. Joining the Army three days after 9/11, Mike spent eight years as a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Operations Sergeant. During his service overseas he began to write his books as well as receiving an Army Commendation Medal before coming home to build and sell four companies. These days he’s the owner and Lead Instructor at Freelancer Masterclass, a direction born from Mike’s personal mission to have a life remembered as one that launched ten thousand careers. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS We start this episode by catching up on my experiment with the Pomodoro app before settling into “headier” subjects like: What neuroplasticity actually is and what drew Mike to study it The personal and professional benefits of working with neuroplasticity Building creative visualization and meditation into our daily lives Taking the best from our backgrounds and interests into our career Moving beyond our limits and breaking through our income and interest ceilings Mike’s tips on increasing your brain’s neuroplasticity KEY TAKEAWAYS Having a successful career is about constantly being in motion. You pull from your past, your background, your interests to inform your present, and you look to your future goals as a way to challenge and improve your process. Never stay static. Aim to perfect what you do every day. Work to better concentrate your focus and get the most out of yourself through experimentation and education. For more information go to MorningTempo.com

In this episode of The Freelancers Show, Mike Volkin describes a successful marketing funnel. One common problem in freelancing is finding your next client, a marketing funnel will be constantly bringing clients to you. Mike’s direct response funnel starts with a Facebook or Google ad. This ad will bring potential clients to your landing page. The landing page will contain a sign up for a webinar that will teach them to solve a specific problem. At the end of the webinar, they will be offered your cost-effective solution.  The panel discusses different examples for this solution and Mike explains how this funnel can be used for any business, podcast, courses, products, and coding. The panel shares their concern with the costs of ads. Mike explains how you can optimize your ad budget and the importance of targeting a specific audience to increase your ROI. You can better target clients by niching your solution. Mike explains how you can use Facebook to find your niche and target your audience. The panel shares their niches. They also give some examples of niches and how to find your niche. Mike gives tips for making a good webinar and the panel discusses the importance of being enthusiastic and likable. Mike gives recommendations to learn more about direct response funnels. Panelists Brad Large Charles Max Wood Brooks Forsyth Mike Volkin Sponsors Freelance Web Development Pricing Get 25% off the deluxe edition of the book Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for 2 months free on Sentrys small plan CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links https://www.udemy.com/course/the-ultimate-upwork-mastery-bundle/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-freelancer-school-podcast/id1469385483 https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ https://www.clickfunnels.com/  https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Brooks Forsyth: Blind Mike Volkin: Deep Work Charles Max Wood: The Man In the High Castle   Magician: Apprentice Brad Large: YETI cup https://elementor.com

In this episode of The Freelancers Show, Mike Volkin describes a successful marketing funnel. One common problem in freelancing is finding your next client, a marketing funnel will be constantly bringing clients to you. Mike’s direct response funnel starts with a Facebook or Google ad. This ad will bring potential clients to your landing page. The landing page will contain a sign up for a webinar that will teach them to solve a specific problem. At the end of the webinar, they will be offered your cost-effective solution.  The panel discusses different examples for this solution and Mike explains how this funnel can be used for any business, podcast, courses, products, and coding. The panel shares their concern with the costs of ads. Mike explains how you can optimize your ad budget and the importance of targeting a specific audience to increase your ROI. You can better target clients by niching your solution. Mike explains how you can use Facebook to find your niche and target your audience. The panel shares their niches. They also give some examples of niches and how to find your niche. Mike gives tips for making a good webinar and the panel discusses the importance of being enthusiastic and likable. Mike gives recommendations to learn more about direct response funnels. Panelists Brad Large Charles Max Wood Brooks Forsyth Mike Volkin Sponsors Freelance Web Development Pricing Get 25% off the deluxe edition of the book Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for 2 months free on Sentrys small plan CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links https://www.udemy.com/course/the-ultimate-upwork-mastery-bundle/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-freelancer-school-podcast/id1469385483 https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ https://www.clickfunnels.com/  https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Brooks Forsyth: Blind Mike Volkin: Deep Work Charles Max Wood: The Man In the High Castle   Magician: Apprentice Brad Large: YETI cup https://elementor.com

In this episode of the Freelancers Show, Mike Volkin leads the panel on a discussion of what he calls the nine traits to attract high paying clients. The first is to be attentive. This doesn’t mean overcommunicate but to better outline how and when you are going to communicate with clients. Second, is be mindful. Time is money, so put away your phone and avoid distractions during your designated working hours.   The third trait is to be caring. Care about your reputation, your clients and prospects. The fourth trait is to be resourceful. This is accomplished by doing your research on prospects, their problems and other experts in your niche. Fifth, be respectful. Respect your rates, don’t beg or lower your rates.    Sixth, be a good listener. When on a call, listen to their pain points and problems. Don’t oversell yourself, all they need to know is your name, expertise, how long you’ve been a freelance and a small part of your story. The seventh trait is to be a good communicator. This means outline your scope of work and avoid scope creep. Eighth, be confident. Be confident in yourself and in your ability to complete the work. Show prospects you are confident by having pre-written answers to common questions.    The final trait is to be a good manager. Manage yourself and manage up with your clients. Managing up by streamlining your communication. One email instead of three, send feedback, anticipate questions and understand how clients like to communicate. Mike also outlines the flow of a discovery call and shares how he targets high paying clients. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for 2 months free on Sentrys small plan CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Brooks Forsyth: Heated blanket Mike Volkin: How to Hack the Flow State and reach Peak Performance Brad Large: https://jamesclear.com/ https://habitica.com/ https://www.stridesapp.com/

In this episode of the Freelancers Show, Mike Volkin leads the panel on a discussion of what he calls the nine traits to attract high paying clients. The first is to be attentive. This doesn’t mean overcommunicate but to better outline how and when you are going to communicate with clients. Second, is be mindful. Time is money, so put away your phone and avoid distractions during your designated working hours.   The third trait is to be caring. Care about your reputation, your clients and prospects. The fourth trait is to be resourceful. This is accomplished by doing your research on prospects, their problems and other experts in your niche. Fifth, be respectful. Respect your rates, don’t beg or lower your rates.    Sixth, be a good listener. When on a call, listen to their pain points and problems. Don’t oversell yourself, all they need to know is your name, expertise, how long you’ve been a freelance and a small part of your story. The seventh trait is to be a good communicator. This means outline your scope of work and avoid scope creep. Eighth, be confident. Be confident in yourself and in your ability to complete the work. Show prospects you are confident by having pre-written answers to common questions.    The final trait is to be a good manager. Manage yourself and manage up with your clients. Managing up by streamlining your communication. One email instead of three, send feedback, anticipate questions and understand how clients like to communicate. Mike also outlines the flow of a discovery call and shares how he targets high paying clients. Panelists Brad Large Brooks Forsyth Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for 2 months free on Sentrys small plan CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Brooks Forsyth: Heated blanket Mike Volkin: How to Hack the Flow State and reach Peak Performance Brad Large: https://jamesclear.com/ https://habitica.com/ https://www.stridesapp.com/

Today we’re joined by Mike Volkin, a serial entrepreneur and U.S. Army veteran. He’s written 5 books, one of them being a best seller. He has built and sold 4 companies and worked with over 400 companies as a fractional chief marketing officer. He’s currently working on his next company as a lead instructor at freelancermastersclass.com, where he teaches a 9-step online course designed to help freelancers grow their business. How to Connect with Mike: Personal Website FreelancerMasterclass LinkedIn How to Support Mike: Check out FreelancerMasterclass and see Mike’s 9-step course for freelancing.  My book Recommendation: So Good They Can’t Ignore You, by Cal Newport Learn More: If you would like to help raise money for causes, or yourself, check out Stagepass at https://yourstagepass.com. If you would like to create experiences, let me know and I’ll get in touch!  If you would like weekly summaries with TGI hacks from each episode, sign up here. Connect with TGI: Facebook Twitter Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Stitcher Spotify We’re also available anywhere podcasts are!

Topics CoveredMike Volkin - King of FreelancingMike Volkin - Entrepreneur CoachFreelancer MasterclassYouTube & Facebook: Freelancer MasterclassFrom corporate to military to entrepreneurHow has a military background shaped him as an entrepreneurDefinition of freelancingOvercoming fear & imposter syndrome to become a freelancerChallenges that freelancers faceA different way to look at job securityThe qualities of a freelancer.Is there a difference between being a freelancer or an entrepreneur?Benefits of freelancingThe importance of templatingPricing your servicesNeuromarketing for your businessMarketing trends for 2020Steps to get your first client as a freelancerCreate a profile on upwork.com, freelancer.com, fiverr.comGet inspiration from othersLinkedInHow your mindset impacts your successUnderstanding fearPower of Neuroplasticity - Shad Helmstetter

The field of neuroscience can tell us a lot about how to be more productive. In this interview, Mike Volkin discusses proven ways to be more effective with your time.  Resources mentioned in the episode The brain that changes itself Online Pomodoro timer Other resources 3 under-rated productivity tips Freelancer Master Class Website Mike Volkin […]

Mike Volkin is a speaker, a trainer, an Army veteran, and if that’s not enough he’s the author of five bestsellers. Joining the Army three days after 9/11, Mike spent eight years as a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Operations Sergeant. During his service overseas he began to write his books as well as receiving an Army Commendation Medal before coming home to build and sell four companies. These days he’s the owner and Lead Instructor at Freelancer Masterclass, a direction born from Mike’s personal mission to have a life remembered as one that launched ten thousand careers. In this episode I speak with Mike Volkin and we discuss how in order to learn one thing you often have to learn something else entirely. Like how tennis can make you a better entrepreneur, or why escaping a wildfire can lead you to understanding the importance of creating a personal mission. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS We start the episode by talking about how Mike’s love of tennis informed his career as an entrepreneur before delving deep into: The importance of creating a mission Hacks for fending off distraction as an entrepreneur How Osama Bin Laden made Mike a better marketer The lessons learned from building and selling four companies The struggles of modern freelancers KEY TAKEAWAYS You have to have a reason, a mission, that can inspire and drive you forward. What do you want to be remembered for? Someone who built something, achieved something? Or someone who just worked a job. Focusing on the minutes, the small changes to our daily processes, can have incredible changes in the long-term. For more information and resources go to MorningTempo.com

The field of neuroscience can tell us a lot about how to be more productive. In this interview, Mike Volkin discusses proven ways to be more effective with your time.  Resources mentioned in the episode The brain that changes itself Online Pomodoro timer Other resources 3 under-rated productivity tips Freelancer Master Class Website Mike Volkin ... Read more

Find out the connection between your brain and how it affects your success as an entrepreneur. In this episode I talk with Mike Volkin--we will be talking to him about the latest brain science and how we as entrepreneurs can take advantage of it. Mike Volkin is a serial entrepreneur, U.S. Army veteran, and author of 5 books, to include one bestseller. He has built and sold four of his own companies and worked with over 400 companies as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer. Currently, Mike is the lead instructor of Freelancer Masterclass, which is a 9-step online course designed to help freelancers grow their business and increase their time off. Mike is a certified neuro marketer. Mike Volkin on Neuroplasticity: What exactly is neuroplasticity?What is neuromarketing? Does everyone have the same capability to change their brain?How can entrepreneurs take advantage of neuroplasticity?How Mike put these tips into action?Tips on the neuromarketing frontHe discusses his book on how to prepare for military bootcampHow you can find out more about Mike's services Episode Resources: Get Mike's Book on AmazonMikes WebsiteMike's Course FreelancerMasterclass.comGet exclusive listener benefits by joining the Simple Life CircleThe Simple Life website: https://thesimplelifenow.com

Find out the connection between your brain and how it affects your success as an entrepreneur. In this episode I talk with Mike Volkin–we will be talking to him about the latest brain science and how we as entrepreneurs can… The post E22: How Your Brain Can Compromise Your Life and Money appeared first on The Simple Life.

Great content requires many specialists: editors, grammarians etc. Working asynchronously, they waste a ton of energy. Mike Volkin describes a business that allows them to contribute simultaneously, getting the job done faster, better, and cheaper.

In this episode of The Freelancers Show the panel interviews Mike Volkin. Mike explains what neuroplasticity is and how it can make you a better entrepreneur. He outlines five tips to increase your neuroplasticity. The first tip is to get enough sleep. They discuss ways to make sure you get enough sleep and how to wake up the right way.  The second tip is to stand up or kneel while working. They discuss ways to do this, setting a timer, using standing mats and kneeling chairs. Tip number three is continuous learning. Mike explains that it doesn’t have to be something for your business, it can be anything that makes you happy. The panel shares some of their hobbies and discusses time management and the importance of setting goals.  The fourth tip is to reduce stress. Mike recommends meditation and mindfulness. He explains the difference between the two. The panel discusses their experiences with meditation. The final tip is creative visualization, the practice of visualizing your goals and how you will accomplish them. The panel reminds people that these practices take time to affect you and your life. Mike warns against comparing yourself to others.    Panelists Charles Max Wood Brooks Forsyth Brad Large Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links Science of Success https://tomato-timer.com/ https://kanbanflow.com/ 75HARD: A 75-Day Tactical Guide to Winning the War With Yourself, with Andy Frisella  The MaxCoders Guide To Finding Your Dream Developer Job  https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Charles Max Wood: A Christmas Story Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Little Drummer Boy Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town The Ultimate Gift https://mckirdytrained.com/ Brooks Forsyth: https://www.nirvanahq.com/  Mike Volkin: https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ Undervalued  The Power of Neuroplasticity Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New  Brad Large: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain https://thefreelancersworkshop.com/

In this episode of The Freelancers Show the panel interviews Mike Volkin. Mike explains what neuroplasticity is and how it can make you a better entrepreneur. He outlines five tips to increase your neuroplasticity. The first tip is to get enough sleep. They discuss ways to make sure you get enough sleep and how to wake up the right way.  The second tip is to stand up or kneel while working. They discuss ways to do this, setting a timer, using standing mats and kneeling chairs. Tip number three is continuous learning. Mike explains that it doesn’t have to be something for your business, it can be anything that makes you happy. The panel shares some of their hobbies and discusses time management and the importance of setting goals.  The fourth tip is to reduce stress. Mike recommends meditation and mindfulness. He explains the difference between the two. The panel discusses their experiences with meditation. The final tip is creative visualization, the practice of visualizing your goals and how you will accomplish them. The panel reminds people that these practices take time to affect you and your life. Mike warns against comparing yourself to others.    Panelists Charles Max Wood Brooks Forsyth Brad Large Guest Mike Volkin Sponsors G2i Sentry | Use the code “devchat” for $100 credit CacheFly ____________________________________________________________ "The MaxCoders Guide to Finding Your Dream Developer Job" by Charles Max Wood is now available on Amazon. Get Your Copy Today! ____________________________________________________________   Links Science of Success https://tomato-timer.com/ https://kanbanflow.com/ 75HARD: A 75-Day Tactical Guide to Winning the War With Yourself, with Andy Frisella  The MaxCoders Guide To Finding Your Dream Developer Job  https://www.facebook.com/freelancersshow/ Picks Charles Max Wood: A Christmas Story Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Little Drummer Boy Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town The Ultimate Gift https://mckirdytrained.com/ Brooks Forsyth: https://www.nirvanahq.com/  Mike Volkin: https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ Undervalued  The Power of Neuroplasticity Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New  Brad Large: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain https://thefreelancersworkshop.com/

Mike VolkinHave you ever heard that red makes you stop, blue is soothing or black is luxurious? If you have then this is due to neuromarketing? Companies have been using neuromarketing to elicit responses and behaviors from customers for some time now. Neuromarketing can be defined as the science of understanding the decision-making mechanisms of a customer and their behaviors. The way certain customers respond to marketing stimuli differs according to your approach, but one of the more difficult tasks is presenting colors, literature or shapes that evoke the kind of behavior necessary to improve business. Image by Ashutosh SonwaniEye MovementMost recently, the ability to know where eyes are focusing first when looking at an ad can be attributed to eye-tracking technology. Eye-tracking technology can identify where the customer will hone in on key messages, product advertisements or how the customer moves chronologically to help with branding or package design. NeuroimagingThe packaging is important in creating and attracting customers. Companies like Campbell's and Frito Lay consistently apply neuroimaging to create packaging that has been recorded as positive. The results from neuroimaging are followed up with feedback on color, text, and images. Companies have been able to utilize neuromarketing for effective marketing strategies. Photo by Britta JacksonColor EffectivenessWe have often heard that certain colors evoke a wide range of customer emotions. Experienced marketers will use colors to elicit anger, hunger or calm. Color in advertising has been an effective marketing tool used by large companies like Coca Cola with their red can. Companies have also been able to split the colors to create subgroups such as cool blues for professional looks. Photo by Sharon McCutcheon The Decision to DecideMany customers are inundated with decisions. Companies like Clickfunnels have made it possible to limit the decision making process to specifics. Sometimes less is more and providing too much information to the customer will create an overwhelming effect. In many cases, the customer will get frustrated and not decide. This is called the decision paralysis.About Mike VolkinMike is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, Army veteran, and author of 5 books (one bestseller). He has built and sold 4 companies. As a marketing leader, he specializes in helping small businesses scale.  Throughout his career, Mike has worked with over 400 small and mid-sized businesses and has a tremendous track record of driving company growth and brand awareness through the development and implementation of marketing programs. mikevolkin.comfreelancermasterclass.com/freeThe Creative Entrepreneurthecreativeentrepreneur.nettcepodcast.netDownload Podcast Here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7cdc530a ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week on Project Freelance I am so stoked to have Mike Volkin of Freelancer School and owner of Freelancer Masterclass. He acts as a fractional CMO to help with companies a number of tasks, including creating a marketing department, train existing staff, help with strategy, or help them with processes and efficiency. As a marketing expert I wanted to pick his brain about how to market a new product, the difficulties of marketing, and he shares some awesome and super helpful tips to help you grow your marketing skills. He took his knowledge of the Army to write a book about getting through bootcamp, which went on to be a bestseller. He then followed that up with four more books. Get Socialistic with Mike: Listen to Freelancer School product: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-freelancer-school-podcast/id1469385483 Learn more about Freelancer Master Class https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/ The 6 Figure Freelancer course: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-6-figure-freelancer/ - ORDER MY BOOK: No Tracers - An Urban Explorer's Diary here: http://justtheletterk.com/notracers Watch the music video for Houston, We Have a Problem: https://youtu.be/bDa3jD96Ae8 Get Socialistic with me: PUBLIC FACEBOOK GROUP: http://festyy.com/wCEjcJ http://Youtube.com/JustTheLetterK http://Twitter.com/projectfreelnce http://Instagram.com/projectfreelance | http://instagram.com/no.tracers Check out MINT for your expenses: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mint-personal-finance-money/id300238550?mt=8 - Track Your Mileage with MileIQ: http://festyy.com/wCEjyg For Photo/Film: Deals on Adobe Products: http://festyy.com/wCEhV1 Purchase My Stock Photography: https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/207466518/NoTracers My Music: http://Chasingsatellitesmusic.bandcamp.com These are a few of my favorite things: My Favorite Photo Contest Sites: Viewbug http://festyy.com/wCEh2W (free photography ebook upon signup) Gurushots: http://festyy.com/wCEh39 (Free bundle upon signup) Grow Your Youtube SEO: http://festyy.com/wCEh4D Listen on itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/project-freelance/id1278428639?mt=2 Listen on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/projectfreelance Listen on Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/projectfreelance - My 2019 KIT for Filmmaking, Photography & Vlogs: My Drone: https://amzn.to/2KXtsWh Handheld Stabilized camera: https://amzn.to/2KVBQ8M Main Vlog Camera: https://amzn.to/33YttjX Wide Angle Lens: https://amzn.to/2HmJ4QM Pretty art lens: https://amzn.to/2HGxwZ1 3 legged tripod: https://amzn.to/322EGhK Portable Solar Charger: https://amzn.to/348KfNE Magic Backpack: https://amzn.to/340OCu7 Storage: https://amzn.to/2ZmaCA9 Rode video mic: https://amzn.to/2zl2zon Skullcandy Headphones: https://amzn.to/2ZtmGLG My audio recording setup: https://amzn.to/2zoiEJX - #podcast #marketing #freelance --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/projectfreelance/message

This week on Project Freelance I am so stoked to have Mike Volkin of Freelancer School and owner of Freelancer Masterclass. He acts as a fractional CMO to help with companies a number of tasks, including creating a marketing department, train existing staff, help with strategy, or help them with processes and efficiency. As a marketing expert I wanted to pick his brain about how to market a new product, the difficulties of marketing, and he shares some awesome and super helpful tips to help you grow your marketing skills. He took his knowledge of the Army to write a book about getting through bootcamp, which went on to be a bestseller. He then followed that up with four more books.  Get Socialistic with Mike: Listen to Freelancer School product: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-freelancer-school-podcast/id1469385483 Learn more about Freelancer Master Class https://www.freelancermasterclass.com/The 6 Figure Freelancer course: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-6-figure-freelancer/- ORDER MY BOOK: No Tracers - An Urban Explorer's Diary here: http://justtheletterk.com/notracersWatch the music video for Houston, We Have a Problem: https://youtu.be/bDa3jD96Ae8Get Socialistic with me:PUBLIC FACEBOOK GROUP:  http://festyy.com/wCEjcJhttp://Youtube.com/JustTheLetterKhttp://Twitter.com/projectfreelnce http://Instagram.com/projectfreelance | http://instagram.com/no.tracersCheck out MINT for your expenses: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mint-personal-finance-money/id300238550?mt=8-Track Your Mileage with MileIQ: http://festyy.com/wCEjygFor Photo/Film:Deals on Adobe Products: http://festyy.com/wCEhV1Purchase My Stock Photography: https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/207466518/NoTracersMy Music: http://Chasingsatellitesmusic.bandcamp.comThese are a few of my favorite things:My Favorite Photo Contest Sites: Viewbug http://festyy.com/wCEh2W (free photography ebook upon signup)Gurushots: http://festyy.com/wCEh39 (Free bundle upon signup)Grow Your Youtube SEO: http://festyy.com/wCEh4DListen on itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/project-freelance/id1278428639?mt=2Listen on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/projectfreelanceListen on Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/projectfreelance-My 2019 KIT for Filmmaking, Photography & Vlogs:My Drone: https://amzn.to/2KXtsWhHandheld Stabilized camera: https://amzn.to/2KVBQ8MMain Vlog Camera: https://amzn.to/33YttjXWide Angle Lens: https://amzn.to/2HmJ4QMPretty art lens: https://amzn.to/2HGxwZ13 legged tripod: https://amzn.to/322EGhKPortable Solar Charger: https://amzn.to/348KfNEMagic Backpack: https://amzn.to/340OCu7Storage: https://amzn.to/2ZmaCA9Rode video mic: https://amzn.to/2zl2zonSkullcandy Headphones: https://amzn.to/2ZtmGLGMy audio recording setup: https://amzn.to/2zoiEJX-#podcast #marketing #freelance

So what can you do when a client refuses to pay? I mean, absolutely refuses! That’s the dilemma this new agency owner has with a nightmare client who owes him almost $10K. Listen to his story plus my advice on how to get through it and the processes he needs in order to prevent it from happening again. In this episode, we’ll cover: Why you need a prospect qualification process. What information to get in an initial client meeting. 2 ways to get the client’s budget every time. How to protect your agency against slow pay or no pay clients. Today’s guest is Mike Volkin, a long time freelancer turned agency owner when he founded 800lb Marketing in early 2017. Mike’s agency specializes in fractional CMO services for startups that don’t have marketing leadership. He was about 8 months into the business when I interviewed him. He caught my attention with a post in our Digital Agency Owners Facebook group about a client who wouldn’t pay. In this episode, Mike candidly shares his story about a client who stiffed him on almost $10K while I give him advice to make sure it doesn’t happen again. How a Good Client Turns Bad So here’s the gist of Mike’s horror story... His agency was working with a new client who was investor-funded. They assured him there was plenty of funding - they were even turning investors away. So money wasn't going to be a problem. The deal was going to be 800lb Marketing’s second largest contract with multiple-thousands of dollars in recurring revenue. Well, fast forward several months and now the client refuses to pay. Their reason for nonpayment is because they didn’t receive investor funding. And they didn’t get investor funding because ~ get this~ because, the agency didn’t meet their traffic goals. But wait… WHAT TRAFFIC GOALS? The agency was never given traffic goals yet their success and payment are tied to them? [clickToTweet tweet="There’s no such thing as a bag agency client. Just a bad prospect or a bad process" quote="There’s no such thing as a bag agency client. Just a bad prospect or a bad process"] Why You Need a Qualification Process You might have a similar story. Sooner or later, every agency owner has at least one nightmare client story. In hindsight, usually you look back and realize the signs were always there... Agency owners have to understand they have the right and duty to screen prospective clients. It’s not a one-sided process. Agencies need to ask the right questions and really dig deep to understand if the client is the right fit for them, and not just the other way around. Since Mike works with startups, he typically asks about the source of funds -- whether self-funded or investor-funded but rarely… hardly ever... will they give him a budget. In most cases he doesn’t budget info until the second meeting, after he presents a proposal. Mike says typically, in the first meeting, prospects ask him to create a plan and they’ll “find” the budget... Sound familiar? What Info Do You Need in the Initial Meeting? I always advise my clients to think of N.B.A.T. before engaging in a new project conversation with a new prospect. N- Need. Find out what the client’s desired goals are. What do they believe is the specific need in order to achieve the goal? What they think they need might not be what they actually do need. How does this goal tie into the company’s vision? And how will success be measured? B- Budget. 99% of your prospects know their budget but rarely will they share it. They don’t understand it makes a huge difference in knowing whether you can help them reach their goals or not. Below are my 2 strategies to get the budget from clients who aren’t forthcoming with the information. And the 1% who don’t know the budget? Those are usually the really big clients who have the money to spend -- you’ll know who they are :) A- Authority. Who’s involved in the decision-making? Make sure you’re working with that person or group of people. You don’t want to spin your wheel with people who don’t have the authority to give approvals or make decisions. T- Timing. What is the timeframe for this project and how soon does the client expect results? Is the time frame realistic? Can you achieve the desired results in the period of time they’re allowing? 2 Ways To Get the Client’s Budget Every Time In order to get the client’s budget I like to have a little fun… it depends on your personality as to which one of these strategies work best. You could even use: Jokester:  If a prospect tells you there is no budget, you can respond with a little sarcasm. Like, “No budget? That’s great! I love working with client’s who don’t have limits on what they can spend. Then we can do a bunch of testing and see what works!” Of course, there is a budget and they’ll soon end up giving you a ballpark of it. If not, you can try #2. Reverse Auctioneer:  Start with an obscenely high number and just keep dropping it until you land on a number they’re comfortable committing to. Say something like, “What’s the budget? $100,000? $50,000? $40,000?…” Just pause for a brief second between throwing out numbers until you can get them to lock in a range. How to CYA Against Clients Who Are Slow Or No Pay Mike says he’s going to binding arbitration to try and recoup the loss. I think he should chalk it up to a lesson learned. It’s just not worth investing his time and energy. Learn from it and spend that time building processing to make sure it can’t happen again. This will protect the agency from future potential issues and improve cash flow. Get paid in advance. Literally you should have the cash in hand before you start a project. Either 100% paid in full or, depending on the size of the project, at least 50% upfront. Your salesperson will probably want you to start as soon as there’s ink on the contract. Don’t do it! Cash first is the way to go. Change payment terms. A lot of agencies like to do 50% upfront and 50% on completion. That’s not the best idea because if the client drags out the project, you’re stuck. Instead, get the client’s credit card on file and let them know you’ll be billing on certain dates over the course of the project. Also, put language in your contract about a penalty for charge-backs (and of course, consult your attorney about your contract.) Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster? Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier? Then you’re in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University. Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it’s the right fit for you.

Have you written a book that you believe should be a BEST SELLER but it's going nowhere? According to my guest Mike Volkin, 70% of books have an average shelf life of 3 months. This means for many of us, it took us longer to write our book than it did for it to die on the shelves. So..What can we do? Well, my guest Mike Volkin has written a book called "Social Networking for Authors". Mike who has both his Bachelors and a Masters is a marketing specialist and social networking expert. In his book he shows authors how to create customers from Facebook, Twitter, My space and dozens more social sites. He will show you how to create a money making website for your book without being a techie. Connect with customers to increase your sales and take advantage of free tools to increase book Sales. WOW..