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What happens when the heart of a company beats just as strongly as its technology? Jason sits down with Paul Hawkins, CEO at HawkSoft, for an in-person Executive Session at HawkSoft HQ. From family roots and servant leadership to AI, agency tech trends, and the story behind the Purple Cow, this conversation is as much about people as it is about platforms. Key Topics: Why HawkSoft hires 80% on culture and 20% on skill The role of family and faith in shaping HawkSoft's leadership style Paul's journey from dairy farm to software founder Technology shifts that moved from “peripheral” to core in agencies How AI and system integration are reshaping agency workflows Lessons on servant leadership and building other leaders Advice Paul would (and wouldn't) give his younger self The story of HawkSoft's Purple Cow movement Why people, not products, define a company's success Building a workplace culture that wins awards year after year Reach out to: Paul Hawkins Jason Cass Visit Website: HawkSoft Agency Intelligence Produced by PodSquad.fm
What started as a frustrating Sunday afternoon mistake in a tiny Chicago apartment turned into a million-download podcast that changed everything. Join 5,000+ Ruckus Makers who want to Do School Different
Are you still chasing the same overworked real estate agents for referrals while your competitors dominate the market? In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Adam Smith, President of Colorado Real Estate Finance Group and mortgage coach, reveals unconventional strategies to build your mortgage referral network for lead gen. He breaks down why 90% of mortgage professionals failed during recent market shifts and shares the hidden referral sources that can transform your business.Topics discussed in this episode: 1️⃣ Use AI for client avatar creation and content generation2️⃣ Why volunteer work and community involvement drive business growth3️⃣ Creative referral partner strategies beyond traditional sources4️⃣ The importance of running with your “tribes” and shared interests5️⃣ Why transparency and authenticity matter more than perfect marketingResourcesConnect with Adam Smith on LinkedIn.Learn more about Colorado Real Estate Finance Group.Check out Adam's website justthetipscoaching.com to access his book, podcast, and daily tips.Other shout-outsCheck out The Art of Getting Shit Done by Chad Prio.The Purple Cow by Seth Godin.
Want to start your business the right way (with less than $1k)? Get the guide: https://clickhubspot.com/wsu Episode 741: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk about the most common mistakes founders make and how to fix them PLUS old school businesses that are making a comeback. — Show Notes: (0:00) Business Traps (21:21) The Onion selling print papers again (31:36) Oberweis milk delivery (39:31) Joe Lemandt and Alpha School (1:00:05) Grind Academy home schooling facility — Links: • Mobile Emissions - http://mobileemissions.com/ • Purple Cow - https://tinyurl.com/mdbfksx8 • Train Hard, Win Easy - https://tinyurl.com/2raksmas • The Triple Package - https://tinyurl.com/yebnt9nx • The Onion - https://theonion.com/ • Colossus - https://joincolossus.com/ • Oberweis - https://www.oberweis.com/ • Mentava - https://www.mentava.com/ • The Grind Academy - https://www.grindlv.com/ — Check Out Shaan's Stuff: • Shaan's weekly email - https://www.shaanpuri.com • Visit https://www.somewhere.com/mfm to hire worldwide talent like Shaan and get $500 off for being an MFM listener. Hire developers, assistants, marketing pros, sales teams and more for 80% less than US equivalents. • Mercury - Need a bank for your company? Go check out Mercury (mercury.com). Shaan uses it for all of his companies! Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC — Check Out Sam's Stuff: • Hampton - https://www.joinhampton.com/ • Ideation Bootcamp - https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/ • Copy That - https://copythat.com • Hampton Wealth Survey - https://joinhampton.com/wealth • Sam's List - http://samslist.co/ My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano
In this instalment of TYP, Pete Shepherd, Tiff and the Problem Child talk about Seth Godin's Purple Cow concept (what it is and why it matters), the 'um' epidemic (the Spakfilla of conversation), how crazy-fast little kids learn (Pete has a two-year-old), knowing when and how to change the direction and energy of a conversation (or presentation) which is dying a painful death, building interpersonal connection with story, metaphor and humour, learning styles, and how to create rapport with an audience in under a minute. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102 See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/
What if your job isn't to solve a problem, but to cause one?I know, causing problems sounds like the last thing you want to do in your business or in your life. Most of us were taught to show up and help fix problems.But in this clip from our fireside chat with Seth Godin at the No BS Agencies Mastery retreat, Seth explains that the people who are really winning in business and in influence know how to create tension.Tension is what makes someone say, hey, I didn't know this was a problem and now I need it solved! Which is where you come in.Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and most of all, a teacher. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), This is Marketing, and This is Strategy. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). He is credited as the inventor of email marketing (the good kind) and has given five highly popular TED talks.By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has motivated and inspired countless people around the world.Tune into this episode to hear:How do you introduce tension and then become the source of reliefWhy the real problem is rarely what the client thinks it isHow the Lead Product fills in the story, clarifies the problems, and positions you as the solutionLearn more about Seth Godin:WebsiteSeth's BlogAkimbo PodcastFacebook: @sethgodinResources:E. 253: Back to Basics: The Lead ProductNo BS Clients LabNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com
The recently flooded Van Wezel got a few more years. The City of Sarasota is now taking steps to keep the historic performing arts hall in good shape, but there are many questions about the future of the Purple Cow. Next up: Layoffs at Sarasota County's largest manufacturing company seem to continue, after a merger last fall that resulted in the elimination of an entire shift. WSLR News reporter Noah Vinsky has the story of a struggling couple in North Port. Then: We continue to follow the deportation of a young woman from North Port. Today, Ramon Lopez brings us the third chapter of her journey: What does the future look like for Lulu Martinez in Mexico? And what are her legal options, if she tried to return to the United States? Then: Speaking of deportations - a protest is coming up in Sarasota this weekend. Finally: Rob Lorei was not loud, but this Tampa Bay area journalist left quite the legacy. He passed away last weekend, and we bring you a eulogy.
Kent Lewis grew up in the Seattle area. In college he studied business and marketing. After college he went to work for a PR agency but left to go into the digital marketing industry in 1996. Kent has formed several marketing agencies during his career. He is quite up front about challenges he faced along the way as well as what he learned from each issue he faced. Kent's philosophy about community is quite interesting and well worth adopting. He believes very much in giving back to his community. Today his day job is serving as “Executive Director of NextNW, a non-profit trade association that unifies the Pacific Northwest advertising & marketing professionals interested in professional development, sharing best practices, and collaborative problem-solving”. Kent gives us many relevant and timely business insights. I hope you agree that this conversation gives us some good business lessons we all can use. About the Guest: Kent Lewis, Executive Director, NextNW Lewis is currently Executive Director of NextNW, a non-profit trade association that unifies the Pacific Northwest advertising & marketing professionals interested in professional development, sharing best practices, and collaborative problem-solving. He is also Founder of pdxMindShare, Portland's premier career community, with over 12,000 LinkedIn Group members. With a background in integrated marketing, he left a public relations agency in 1996 to start his career in digital marketing. Since then, he's helped grow businesses by connecting his clients with their constituents online. In 2000, Lewis founded Anvil Media, Inc., a measurable marketing agency specializing in search engine and social media marketing. Under his leadership, Anvil has received recognition from Portland Business Journal and Inc. Magazine as a Fastest Growing and Most Philanthropic Company. After selling his agency in March 2022, he became a CMO for the acquiring firm. Beyond co-founding SEMpdx, Lewis co-founded two agencies, emailROI (now Thesis) and Formic Media. As a long-time entrepreneur, he's advised or invested in a host of companies, including PacificWRO, Maury's Hive Tea and ToneTip. Lewis speaks regularly at industry events and has been published in books and publications including Business2Community, Portland Business Journal, and SmartBrief. For twenty years, he was an adjunct professor at Portland State University, and has been a volunteer instructor for SCORE Portland since 2015. Lewis tours nationwide, averaging 30 speaking engagements annually, including a regular presenter role with the Digital Summit conference series. Active in his community, Lewis has been involved in non-profit charity and professional trade organizations including early literacy program SMART Reading and The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO). Industry recognition and awards include Portland Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 Award, American Marketing Association Oregon Chapter Marketer of the Year, and Top 100 Digital Marketing Influencers by BuzzSumo. Ways to connect with Kent: Links https://kentjlewis.com/ And LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentlewis/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Today. We get to chat with an award winning entrepreneur, and he just told me a really interesting factoid. We'll have to, we'll have to talk about it, just because it is about one of the most fascinating things I've heard in quite a while, and a very positive thing. But I'm not going to give it away, because I'm going away, because I'm going to let him talk about it, or at least start the discussion. I'd like you all to meet Kent Lewis. Kent has been an entrepreneur for a while. He helps other entrepreneurs. He works in the non profit arena and does a variety of different kinds of things. And rather than me telling you all about it, you could read the bio, but more important, meet Kent Lewis and Kent, welcome to unstoppable mindset. Kent Lewis ** 02:05 It's, it's a pleasure to be on the show. Thank you for having me, sir. Michael Hingson ** 02:10 Now where are you located? I'm based in Portland, Oregon, yeah. So you're, you are up up the coast, since I'm in Southern California. So yes, you know, one of these days I'll be up that way again. Well, Alaska Airlines will fly me up there. Kent Lewis ** 02:27 Yeah, totally right. Yeah, good Michael Hingson ** 02:29 to have you, unless you come this way first. But anyway, well, I'm really want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And why don't we start? I love to do this. Tell me a little bit about kind of the early Kent growing up and all that stuff. Kent Lewis ** 02:44 Yeah, so I grew up in Seattle, Washington. I think something that's influenced me is that my dad was is, or is, a retired architect. And so there was always this design esthetic, and he was an art collector enthusiast, I should say. And so I was always surrounded with art and mid century, you know, furniture and there's just style was a it was a thing. And then my mom was always in when she was a social worker and went into running nonprofits. And so I grew up around that as well of just giving back. So if you ever heard that common term, you know, learn, earn, return. Start your life you're learning, then you're maximizing your earnings during your career, and then when you in and around later in life, you start giving back, right, returning, right. And I learned from my mom that you never stop you never stop learning. You never stop returning. And my my mantra as an entrepreneur is never stop earning right? So, so I've always been giving back and donating my time, and I've always appreciated sort of good design and well thought out things. And I think that's influenced my career in marketing and as an entrepreneur, business owner, and now more of an advisor, Coach type, Michael Hingson ** 03:59 well, so growing up in Seattle, did you visit pikes market very often? Kent Lewis ** 04:04 My dad used to work right, right, like, two blocks away. So I would go there all the time. In fact, I remember when there was just one Starbucks when I was a kid, yeah, at Pike Place Market, and they used to sell large chunks of delicious, bitter sweet chocolate, I know, you know, in the behind the counter, and it was a very hi and you could smell the teas and all that. It was a very different experience, very cool place. And so, yeah, love Michael Hingson ** 04:33 the pipe waste market. I understand that they don't throw the fish anymore. No, they do. They do. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Maybe it was just during the pandemic that they decided not to do that, but Kent Lewis ** 04:44 think you're right about that. But they definitely, they, they're still, it's still a major attraction. It's too big of a thing to stop. Michael Hingson ** 04:51 Wow, that's what I was thinking. And that's just way too big of a thing to to stop. My probably not the greatest fish fish catcher, I've been there, but I. I never caught a fish. Kent Lewis ** 05:02 Yeah, that's only got, like, one or two in my life. And I don't, I don't do it much, but Michael Hingson ** 05:08 Well, well, that's the place to go anyway. So where did you go to college? Kent Lewis ** 05:13 I went to Western Washington University in Bellingham, uh, just 1020 minutes from the Canadian border, because, in part, when I was in school, it was a 19 year old drinking age in Canada, so I was 20 minutes away from my earlier drinking age. Turns out, I grew up going to Vancouver, BC quite often for the soccer exchange program when I was a real young youngster. So I fell in love with Vancouver, and as I've had been fortunate enough to travel the world a bit, I realized that it was one of my favorite cities, and it still is. It is such a global, amazing egalitarian, like, no matter your color, race, creed, you could be a millionaire or you could be a bus driver. There was no not the same class, classism you see in other US cities or around the rest of the world. It's truly an amazing and it's also, of course, beautiful Michael Hingson ** 06:04 there. I found that true throughout Canada, and I've enjoyed every Canadian city I've ever been to. One of my favorites is really going to Toronto. I was always impressed as to how clean it really was. Kent Lewis ** 06:17 You know, that's true. I've been there a couple times in conferences, and I found it to be clean and impressive, you know, and then, but my, one of my favorite, other cities I only spent overnight, there was Montreal. What a beautiful, beautiful place, absolutely stunning. I Michael Hingson ** 06:35 spent two days in Montreal once when I was selling some products and turn the TV on at 1131 morning that I was there and watched the Flintstones in French. That was unique. That was unique. Cool. How cool is that? Yeah, it's awesome. That was kind of fun. But, you know, so you, you went to college. What did you major in? Kent Lewis ** 06:58 I majored in business with a marketing concentration, which is great because I ended up doing marketing for a career, and for 22 years ran my own agency, or my own business, basically. Michael Hingson ** 07:10 So what did you do when you got out of college? Kent Lewis ** 07:14 I went immediately into the world of public relations agency life. I always wanted to be a found out after college that I, what I really wanted to be was a copywriter, you know, writing ads. I just coolest thing as a kid. I just didn't know that. It's, I didn't realize what it, what it you have to go to Ad School. You can't, you can't graduate regular college and become a copier. At least you weren't able to when I was, you know, back in the mid 90s. So I started in PR because it sounded hard to pitch the media and try and get them to say what you want them to say about your brand, your client and your brand. And that did me well, because when I got in from went from PR in 94 to digital marketing, SEO, search engine optimization 96 my PR background was extremely helpful. You know, in in that, in that whole world. So because doing PR builds Domain Authority, which builds your rankings in Google, and the rest is history. So, so it was very helpful. It gave me a bit of an edge. And then my business background meant I was better equipped to to go from doing the work to managing people, they're doing the work, to doing my own thing, you know, and running a instant running team, I was running a business. So that was super cool. You Michael Hingson ** 08:38 know, it's interesting. I've especially because of the World Trade Center, but not only, but before it as well, I learned a lot about dealing with the press. And I've, I've watched a lot of press interviews today, and it's, it's amazing how often and then people have said that this is the way you should do it. No matter what the press person asks you, you answer with the with the answer you really want to give, whether you answer their questions or not. And I think that's an interesting approach, and I suppose it can be positive, but especially for for politicians who don't want to answer the tough questions. But I I know that for me, I've always tried to structure my answers in such a way that it gets them to take the question that they originally asked that I might sort of answer and reframe it so that I will answer a lot of times that, for example, talking about blindness and blind people, there are just so many misconceptions about it and and all too often, like first time I was on Larry King lives, Larry was asking questions about guide dogs. And he said, Now, where did you get your guide dog? And I said, from San Rafael, California. He said, well, but the but the main. School is a new is in Michigan, right? And I said, No, it's a different organization. And what we learned after doing that interview was that the way to deal with Larry was to program him and send him questions in advance with answers. Then he did a lot better, because the reality is, he didn't really know necessarily the answers in the first place. It's just amazing how you know how a lot of times it's just shallower. The Press tends to over dramatize. But I appreciate what you're saying about marketing and PR, I've done so much of that over my lifetime, and for so many reasons, in so many ways, I know exactly what you're talking about. Kent Lewis ** 10:47 Yeah, yeah. That's, yeah, it's, it's a fascinating world that I've, that I've, you know, been live, living and working in. And I, yeah, I'm impressed, yeah, Larry King Live. That's pretty cool. And, you know, hopefully you've helped people just side note, you know, get a clear understanding of what it is, what it is both like to be blind and then how you navigate this world successfully, as if you're, you know, fully sighted. You know, Michael Hingson ** 11:18 well, one of the things that I actually learned over the last couple of years is something that I've actually written an article and had it published about, and that is that we've got to change our view of disabilities in general. People always say, well, disability is a lack of ability. And I say, and I always say, No, it's not. And they say, Well, yes, it is. It begins with dis. And I said, then, how do you equate that with disciple, discern and discrete? For example, you know they begin with D is the reality is, disability is not a lack of ability. You think it is. But I've added to that now when I point out that, in reality, every person on the planet has a disability, but for most people, their disability is covered up. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, or at least we give him credit for it back in 1878 so for the last 147 years, all we've done is spent so much time improving on the technology that provides light on demand, which just covers up your disability, but it's still there. And I realized that one day I was at a hotel in Los Angeles at three in the afternoon when we had a power failure, and everybody started to scream, even down in the lobby, when they had all these nice big windows that were letting in all sorts of light, but it wasn't giving them the light that they wanted and the amount that they wanted, and people panicked. So I realized then, oh, well, now the reality is they're light dependent, which is as much a disability as my light independence is. It's just that it manifests itself differently, and there are a whole lot more light dependent people than light independent people. But we've got to really change our definition and how we view it. So Kent Lewis ** 12:58 that's really insightful. It's good to think about. Michael Hingson ** 13:01 Yeah, it's kind of fun. But, you know, so, so where did you, where did you go off and go to work in the in the marketing world? So you did? You didn't go to Copyright School? Or did you? No, no, Kent Lewis ** 13:13 I just know. I once I talked to the creative director at this agency in Seattle where I did my first internship. He's like, Yeah, you'd have to go back to art school. And I was like, what school I just finished? So, you know, it didn't really matter. And we So, with that said, we, you know, I moved into PR, and then I moved to down to Portland from Seattle, because I could actually get a paying job because the internship I did three months full time, virtually, basically no pay, I found a low paying job instead in Portland. So I moved I only knew one person here in Portland, my cousin. She's still here. We both have families now, and I know a lot more people, but I basically have, since moving here to do my second agency job. I've been, I've been a part of 10 agencies in my career. I've been, I founded two, co founded two, fired from three and exited the four that I created, or co, co founded, basically. And so right now I have a consultancy. I could say that's my 11th agency, but I don't even really count it as an agency. I'm just a fractional CMO, you know, marketing advisor at this point, just a few hours a month, because my my day job as of January, is running a nonprofit called next northwest.org which is a it's a trade organization for marketing and advertising and creative community, the creative services world. And it has 119 year history in Portland. And now it's, it's now expanded to five states and into Canada. And so I've got this I'm working. I manage a board of, you know, decent sized board, and a decent sized advisory. Committee that I created, and just the last couple months, and we do learning events for the creative community and networking events and celebrations, like, you know, awards, award shows to celebrate the work. So that's kind of my day job. And then I also speak and write a lot you and I share a passion for for education and learning and sharing knowledge. And so I've been, I've probably averaged 25 speaking engagements a year for the last 20 years, and last year was 30. For instance, I fly yours, mentioned your your travel. I'm flying to Tampa on Sunday to present on Monday, on a panel about AI in the senior care space, for instance. And then I come back and I, I, you know, got it. I got one or two more. But I, you know, I typically do a dozen fly flying gigs, and then I do a lot of webinars and local gigs as well. Michael Hingson ** 15:55 So what are you what are you going to say? What are you going to say about AI in the senior care space? Kent Lewis ** 16:01 That's a great question. So what my focus as a marketer is, here's how you can use AI to streamline and automate and maintain or improve quality. So it's not meant to it's not a secret hack, cheat code to lay people off. It's a It's get more out of your current resources, basically, and do more with less, and do it more effectively. That's kind of, that's, you know, that's my, what I'll be talking about is the how you know how to use it for research, ideation, content creation, content editing, reporting, synthesizing information, customer service, that kind of thing. So I only have, you know, it's a panel event, so I'm only doing like a 10 to 15 minutes part, and then there are other presenters doing their part, and then we have a little Q and A, usually, I'm a sole presenter on whatever topic, usually digital marketing or employee engagement, which is what I got passionate about. Once I sold my agency. After 22 years, I became an employee at that the agency that acquired my company, and I was immediately underwhelmed and disappointed in what it was like to be an employee, and wanted to fix it. So that's what I had been focusing on when I given a choice. I want to evangelize. You know, what I learned from my experience, and I've done a good amount of research, and, you know, two weeks ago, I presented in Portland on the topic to entrepreneurs. Then the next day, I flew to Denver and did the same presentation to a group of agency owners. And then the next day, I did a webinar for similar group of entrepreneurs, you know, so three versions, three days in a row, a 3060, and 90 minute version. So, Michael Hingson ** 17:42 pretty fun. Yeah. So how many books have you written? Kent Lewis ** 17:47 Ah, I knew you'd say that so or ask that. I have not written any books, but I have, darn but I've written, you know, probably 200 articles. I could easily AI them into some sort of book, if I wanted to. You know, I went from writing 80% to 90% of my art content was on digital marketing for the first 20 years. And then the last 10 years, I focused almost exclusively on writing about entrepreneurship and and business ownership, leadership and employee intention, retention, engagement. And, you know, so I mostly syndicate my articles, like business journals, occasionally in Ink Magazine, etc. So if I were to write a book, it would be about the business side of things, instead of the second, I would write something about digital marketing. Not only am I no longer an expert, and consider myself an expert relative to others, those books are outdated the second they're printed, right? So, so it doesn't make sense to really write a book on digital marketing, and everything's already been said, etc. So, so if I wrote a book, it would be probably more on the employee engagement side versus anything. But I will say that I don't know if you know who Seth Godin is. He's the number one marketing blogger in the world. He's written many best sellers, Purple Cow, permission, marketing, etc. He's remarkable guy. And I had was fortunate to talk with him and then meet with him over lunch in New York City 15 years ago. And he said, after our two hour lunch, he charges $75,000 for speaking engagement. So it gives you a sense of who he is. He has for for 20 years. And so he said, Kent, you've got a book in you. I was like, I wish you hadn't said that, because now I don't want to, I don't want to disappoint him, right? So there you go. Michael Hingson ** 19:31 Well, if you write one at some point, you have to send us a picture of the cover and we'll stick it in the show notes whenever. Yeah, that sounds great, but yeah, I you know, I never thought of writing a book, but in 2002 we went to the AKC Eukanuba canine championship dog show in Orlando. It was in December, and among other people I met there. Here I met George Berger, who was at that time, the publisher of the American Kennel Club Gazette, and he said, You ought to write a book. And I went, why? Well, because you you have a great story to tell. You should really write a book. Well, it took eight years and a lot of time sitting in front of Microsoft Word to get notes down, but eventually I met someone named Susie Flory who called because she was writing a book called Dog tails. And it was a story of what she wanted to write stories of, actually, 17 different dogs who had done some pretty interesting and miraculous things. And she wanted to write a story about my guide dog at the World Trade Center, Roselle. And she said, Tell me your story, if you would. And I did. And when we were done, there was this pause, and then she said, You need to write a book. And since I've written books, I'll help you. And a year later, underdog was published, and it became a number one New York Times bestseller. So that was pretty cool. Kent Lewis ** 21:01 That's fantastic. Congratulations. Very impressive. Michael Hingson ** 21:04 And then last year, well, in 2013 we published a children's book called running with Roselle, but more adults by a thing kids, because it's not a picture book, but it tells the story of me growing up and Roselle growing up, and how we met, and all that. So it isn't really as much a World Trade Center book. But then last year, we wrote, live like a guide dog. And the intent of live like a guide dog is to say to people, look fear is all around us, and so many people just allow themselves to be paralyzed, or, as I say, blinded by fear, so they can't make decisions. They don't learn how to control it. But if you learn how to control fear, you can use fear as a very powerful tool to help you stay focused, and you'll make better decisions. So we use lessons I learned from my guide dogs on my wife's service dog to write, live like a guide dog. And so it is out there, and it's it's a lot of fun, too. So you know, it isn't the easiest thing to write a book, but I would think you have a book in you, and you should, well, I Kent Lewis ** 22:03 appreciate that vote of confidence. And hey, I mean, you did it, and you had an amazing story, and you've done it multiple times. Actually, it's great inspiration for me. Michael Hingson ** 22:16 Well, I'm looking forward to reading it when it comes out. You'll have to let 22:20 us know. Yeah, will do so Michael Hingson ** 22:23 you at some point, switched from being an employee to being an entrepreneur. How did that all happen? Why? Why did you do it? Or what really brought that about? Kent Lewis ** 22:38 Well, I kept getting fired. Michael Hingson ** 22:40 So why'd that happen? Kent Lewis ** 22:42 Yeah, so that's the fun part. So I I've never been fired for cause like a legit clause. I'm a high powered, high performer, and so I actually, that's why. So the first time I was fired was by the guy that invited me to co found an agency. His name was Ryan Wilson. He was my he was my boss. And then he was fired by our larger agency. He ran a team that I worked on. I worked for him. I was inspired by him. I I was mentored by him. I thought the world of him. So when he came to me three months after he got fired, it was about, it's always about a girl. So he he basically, he got divorced. And so this other woman, they met at the office, and they were soul mates, and they he had to clean up his life. And he did, and he said, I've got an agency die. I've got two clients ready to sign. I need key employees, and you're one, one of them, then I would hope you would join me. I said, No, the first time he got his act together. I said, yes, the second time, and that. So I we built an agency together with, you know, we start with six people. I brought in two other people and another gal that ran the PR side. I was running the digital side. She brought in somebody said we had six of us on day one, and a year later, we didn't have a formal share shareholder agreement for our percentage of the company that went from being worth zero to being worth a few million dollars, and we felt that we should have something in writing, and before he could, we could get something formally in writing. My, my other partner, she, I didn't really want to do the business with her, but I didn't really have a choice. I want to do the business with him. She said, I'm asking for more equity. I said, Okay, I feel like that's fair. I think we've earned it, but, and I'll, I'll be there with you, but I wouldn't have done this if she hadn't said, I'm going in. Are you with me? So when I we asked, she asked me to make the ask. I wasn't necessarily prepared or thinking about it, and it really offended him. He was really mad, and he was playing to fire her, and by me teaming up with her, he felt, you know, slight. And he fired us both, and the next week, I started anvil, my agency, Anvil Media, that I ran for 22 years, I did a couple other starts, one with a college friend and a guy I had met at that that at one of the first, one of the earlier agency agencies I'd worked at. He and we, he and I and my college buddy started an email marketing agency in 02 and then I decided, well, this isn't for me, but I now learn it's not that scary to hire employees. So then I started hiring employees at anvil and late 03 and so I ran anvil with employees for, you know, 20 years. Two of those first two years were just me and some contractors and and then, oh, wait, I started a second agency because I needed a more affordable solution for my partners in small business called Formic media. Ran that for five years before I merged it with with anvil. But in between, I was also fired. When I first started anvil, I was it was just a hang of shingle in 2000 to do some consulting, but I wanted a full time gig, and a year later, I had an opportunity to run my my team from the agency. I was fired from that company. That agency was sold to another agency for pennies on the dollar. And when my old boss died, rest in peace, we hadn't really cleared the air yet, which is it still is one of my greatest regrets. You know, for nine months we didn't talk, and then he passed away. Everybody peace, not before he passed away, I was able to get, yeah, his his soul mate. They weren't married yet, but they were going to get married. She told me that two weeks before he died, he expressed regrets and how we had ended the relationship, how he had fired me, and he was looking forward to reconnecting and re engaging our friendship. And so that made that meant the world to me. I had a lot of peace in knowing that, but I so the first the second place I got fired was this agency again about a girl. So the first time was a girl telling me, you need to ask the boss for more money or more equity. And I did, and that offended him. And the second time was my girlfriend at the time, who's who moved over from that agency to the new agency where my my old boss died before he could really start there. She was dating on the side the Creative Director at that agency, and he'd been there over 20 years. And so when I started there, I saw something was up, and I was like, Is there anything going on? She's like, No. And so eventually I just broke up with her anyway, because I just it wasn't working, even if she wouldn't admit that she was having a side relationship. But I was eventually fired because he was a board, you know, he was on the board. He was, he wasn't my boss, per se, but he was one of the senior partners, and they just wanted me out. You know, she might have money. Wanted me out. He definitely wanted me out. So that was the second time I got fired. And then the third time I got fired was it kept the stakes get given, getting bigger. When I sold my agency 14 months later, they fired me, really, not to this day, not for any cause. It's that they asked me to take an 80% pay cut a year into my buyout, and I and then I they were going to close my Portland office, which I was, I own the building, so I didn't want to lose my own myself as a tenant, so I offered to reduce my rent 30% so I basically, for two and a half months, worked for free for this agency that had bought my agency. So they were making payments to me. I was carrying the note, but they they couldn't. A year later, they're like, I'm sorry. So they a year later, I took a pay cut for two and a half months, and when I asked them, you know, when am I getting back to my pay? They said, Well, you know, we can't guarantee. We don't have a path for you back to your full pay. And I was like, Okay, well, then I told my wife, let him inform them that we're going to go back to, we are going to go back to our full rack rate on our rent. And when I, when we notified them, they they totally, they totally fired me. So they canceled the lease, and they fired me, and so they so it. And you know, I, my team was slowly being dismantled, a 10 of us, 11 of us, I guess 10 or 11 us went over, and within a year, there were only two wait. Within two years, there was only one person left on my team. So it was a really sad, sad experience for me. It wasn't as hard to sell my business as I thought. It wasn't as hard, you know, just emotionally, it wasn't as hard to sunset my brand after 22 years. Wasn't easy, but it was way easier than I thought. What was hard for me was watching them was was closing the office. It broke my heart and and then watching them dismantle my team that I spent, you know, two decades building, most of that team was within 10 years, the last 10 years, last even five years of of our business. Us. There was a relatively new team, but we were so tight, and it was just heartbreaking. So, you know, Michael Hingson ** 30:09 yeah, wow. So what do you think was your biggest mistake in running your own agency? Kent Lewis ** 30:19 That's a great question. I think the biggest, biggest mistake was not understanding the Hire great people and get out of the way. Lee Iacocca, you know, to paraphrase him, I hired great people and I got out of their way. But what I didn't do was make sure they had all the proper training, alignment of core values that they had, there was enough trust between us that they could come to me with they were struggling or failing. Apparently, I was a fairly intimidating figure for my former my young recruits, but most of that time, up until the last five years, I always had a senior VP my right hand. I hired her with the attention that she might take over the business someday, she was totally creating a wall between me and my employees, and I didn't know it until 2012 and so, you know, I had 10 years to try to undo what she had created the first 10 years, basically of a fear based management style, so that that didn't help me, and I didn't believe it. I didn't really see it. So then I rebuilt the company, and from the ground up, I blew it up in 2013 so 10 years after of having employees, 13 years of having the business, I completely dismantled and blew it up and rebuilt it. And what did that look like? It started with me just not wanting to go to work in the building, and I realized I can't quit because I'm the owner, so I have to fix it. Okay? I don't mind fixing things. I prefer to fix other people's problems instead of my own, but I really a lot of people do, right? Yeah. So I wrote a credo, basically, what would it take for me? What are, what are it got down to 10 truths, what? What are the truths that I need to go into work and that others around me, co workers, team members, need to also agree on so that we can work together successfully. So it went from being about clients to being about the team and being about accountability. And you know, it was so it was so decisive. It was so radical for my current team that had been with me five to 10 years of they lose clients, I get more clients. And I eventually told them, I can't replace clients as fast as you're losing them. It's not a sustainable business model, so you need to be accountable for your actions and your decisions. That's the new anvil. You and you're out. I gave them 72 hours to think about it and sign it. Signed literally to these credo. It's not a legal document, it's just a commitment to credo. And half the team didn't sign it, and they quit. And then within 12 months, the rest of the team either quit or we've I fired them because they did not fit in the new anvil. And it's funny because everybody else that I brought in didn't even it didn't even register. The credo was so unremarkable to them, because we were already aligned by the time we hired them, we'd done our research and the work to know who fit, and so they didn't register. So eventually we just dropped the credo was no longer needed as a guide or a framework. It's still on the website, but, but you don't, you know it doesn't really matter. But that's what I got wrong, is I did not build the trust. I did not have I had processes in place, but but without the trust, people wouldn't tell me how they felt or that they were struggling. So a lot of process wasn't recognized or utilized properly. So I rebuilt it to where and rebuilt the trust to where the team that was with me when I sold I was very close with them. There was 100% trust across the board, a mutual respect, arguably a mutual love for the craft, for each other, for the company, for our clients, and it was a lot of fun to work with them. I didn't sell because I was unhappy. I sold because I was happy, and I thought now's a good time to go and find a good home. Plus my wife was my operations manager for five years, and she wanted out. Frankly, I thought it was easier to sell the business than try to replace my wife, because she was very good at what she did. She just didn't like doing it, yeah? And she also didn't like, you know, me being her boss. I never saw it that way. But once she explained it, after I sold, she explained, like, you know, you boss me around at work, and then you try to boss me around at home, and I'm not having it. You pick one? Yeah, so, so I was like, I think, like, I bossed you around. And she's like, Hey, you just, it was your company. It was always going to be your company. And, you know, that's fine, but you know, I want to move on. I was like, Okay, why don't we just sell and so that, yeah, they the operational people. And so it took her, took that load off of her. She's worked for. Nonprofit now, so she's happy, and so that's good. Michael Hingson ** 35:05 Well, it also sounds like there were a lot of people that well, first of all, you changed your your view and your modus operandi a little bit over time, and that's why you also got you fired, or you lost people. But it also sounds like what you did was you brought in more people, not only who thought like you, but who really understood the kinds of goals that you were looking at. And so it was a natural sort of thing. You brought in people who really didn't worry about the credo, because they lived by it anyway. Kent Lewis ** 35:38 Yeah, that's exactly right. And that was, that was my lesson. Was, you know, I always knew there's a concept called Top grading. You know, you thoroughly vet client, you hire slow and you fire fast. Most entrepreneurs or business owners hire fast and fire slow, and it's very, very expensive and but, you know, I got that part and I just better. I was far better at, I was far better at, what would I say, creating processes than kind of feeling, the love? And so once I figured that stuff out, it got a lot it got a lot better. Michael Hingson ** 36:16 It's a growth thing. Yes, 36:18 exactly, yeah. Well, you Michael Hingson ** 36:21 have something, and you sent me something about it. You call it Jerry Maguire moment. Tell me about that. Kent Lewis ** 36:28 Yeah. So that's, you know, I just, I just sort of backed into the story of just being unhappy. But what ended up happening more specifically that Jerry Maguire moment was putting my son to bed in March of 2013 and I mentioned that feeling of not of dread. I didn't want to go to work. I was frustrated with my team, disappointed in my clients, not appreciating the work we were doing, frustrated with some of my partners. You know, in the business, I felt disconnected from the work of digital because I'd worked on the business for longer than I'd worked in the business by that point, and so I just, it was, it was, I was a bit of a mess. And I realized, like, I need a reason to get up and go to work in the morning. And that's when I came up. I was inspired by Jerry Maguire's manifesto from from the movie, and apparently you can find it online. It's a 28 page manifesto. So I ended up distilling into those 10 truths that we called the credo, and so what happening is just again to recap, it took me a like a couple days. I had instant clarity. I like I fell asleep like a rock. Once I realized I had a plan and I had a framework, I felt better about it, even though there was much work to do. So as I mentioned, you know, half the team quit within the first week, the other half bled out over the next year. That meant 100% employee turnover for two years in a row. As like as I upgraded my team, that was painful. I had to hire three people in order to keep one good one. You know, as I as I search, because we don't have formal degrees in the world of digital marketing, right? So it's hard to find the talent, and you want to hold on to the good ones when you get them. So it took a long time to get the team dialed. Meanwhile, my clients got tired of the turnover. As I was trying to figure it out, they started leaving in droves, and so in 2014 in March, a year later, exactly, I lost my five biggest clients in a 30 to 45 day period. So I lost, you know, 40, over 40% of my revenue vaporized, and I could not replace it fast enough. So I didn't take a salary for nine months. I asked two senior execs to take small pay cuts like 10% and as we hunkered down, and so I didn't have to lay off any good talent, and so I didn't, and we sprinted, we rebuilt, you know, the pipeline, and brought some new clients in. By the end of the year, I paid back my my two senior employees, their 10% that they pay cut. I paid them back, but I didn't take a salary for nine months of that year. It was the worst year I'd ever had, and the only time I ever had to take a pay cut or miss a paycheck myself. So that was the price I paid. The plus side is once I realized that the focus should be on the employees, which was what the credo was, I didn't realize at the time that it wasn't about my clients anymore. They were the life blood. They were the blood flow, right? But we have this organism that needed love, so we I breathe life back into it, one employee at a time until we had a higher functioning group. So it took me five or six years, and in 2019 so six years after I blew the business up, I had an offer on the table, had a sale agreement finalized, and we were less than a week away from funding, and I backed out of the deal because I felt, one, it wasn't a good cultural fit, and two, there was more work to do. It wasn't about increasing my valuation more. It was about finishing my journey of an employee first agency and. Three years later, I sold for one and a half x higher multiple, so an additional seven figures to to another agency based on a stronger profitability, even though the revenue is about the same, stronger, you know, profitability right better. Happy clients, stable clients. It was a lower risk acquisition for them and the so that was the high point. The low point was becoming an employee and wanting to be the best damn employee that agency had ever seen to being a very disappointed, disengaged, disheartened, disheartened employee. And I then I decided I started writing notes of everything, not to do that they were doing wrong. And I decided, once they let me go, I need to focus on this. I think I needed to help my other fellow entrepreneurs ways to avoid going through what I went through as an employee, because I had just been one, and most of my employ, my entrepreneur friends, haven't been an employee for over 10 years. You easily, quickly forget what it's like to be an employee, and I want to remind them and as other senior leaders, how important it is to put your employees first, otherwise you can never deliver on your brand promise no matter what it is, because they won't deliver to your standards. Because it's you know, they don't feel the same attachment to a business if they as if they're not owners, right? Michael Hingson ** 41:22 But it sounds like you also, when you did sell, by that time, you had employees, one who had bought into the credo, into the philosophy, and two were satisfied. So it was a much better situation all the way around. Anyway, Kent Lewis ** 41:38 exactly. It's right? And that's, that's the thing is, I realized it's not about throwing money at a problem. It's about throwing time and care at a problem. And the problem is that most employers, there is no loyalty employ to employees anymore, and therefore there's no employee loyalty to brands anymore, to their employers. And so I'm trying to unwind that. And it's not about pension plans, per se. It's not about bonuses, really at all. That's one of 120 items on my punch list of auditing and employee journey is, yeah, do you have a bonus program? Mine was basically spot bonuses, little spot bonuses for timely things, because the big cash bonuses blew up in my face. You know, i i the biggest bonus check I ever wrote. The next day he quit and created a competing agency. Now, he had planned that all along it, the bonus was only helped him do it faster, but I realized there was no appreciation for the bonuses. So stop doing that. So instead, I would bonus, reward the team with experiences rather than cash. And they the cash they got from a really, I paid over market, so that money was not an issue, and so that experiences were the memorable part and the fun part, and it helped motivate when we'd have a little contest with, you know, the wind being a dinner or whatever it was, something fun, right? Michael Hingson ** 43:00 I was, earlier today, talking with someone who's going to be a guest on the podcast. He's in Germany, and we were talking about the fact that there's a major discussion in Germany right now about the concept of a four day work week, as opposed to a five day work week, and in the four day work week. Inevitably, companies that subscribe to the four day work week have higher productivity, happier employees, and some of those companies have a four day work week with a total of 36 hours and up through a four day work week with 40 hours, which is, of course, 10 hours a day. And what he said, I asked the question, did it make a difference as to whether it was 36 or 40 hours? What he said was mainly not, because it was really about having three days with family, and that that whole mental attitude is really it that we, we have forgotten, I think, in this country, about employee loyalty so much, and we just don't see anything like what we used to see. Kent Lewis ** 44:09 100% you are correct, Michael Hingson ** 44:13 and so it is. It is an issue that people really ought to deal with in some way. But you know now the new chancellor in Germany wants to go back to a five day work week, just completely ignoring all the statistics and what's shown. So the discussion is ongoing over there. I'll be interested to see how it goes. Kent Lewis ** 44:36 Yeah, yeah, totally. I would be in Troy. Yeah. We know for whatever reason, for whatever reason that they've you know that well, I guess it kind of makes sense. But you know, you wouldn't think you could be more productive fewer days a week, but the research is showing that these people, that you know, that the like the Northern Europeans, are the, you know, Finnish and Scandinavians are like the half. People on the planet, despite not being in maybe the friendliest climate, you know, 12 months of the year because of a lot of how they value, you know, work life balance and all of that. And I think that's the thing, you know, we we came from an industrial age where unions got us the weekends off. You know, it's a very different we've come a long way, but there's still a lot more to go, so I, I will be interested to see what happens with the with that concept that four day work week. Michael Hingson ** 45:26 Well, the other part about it is we had the pandemic, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic, at least, I think, in the minds of a lot of employees, was even working at home, and having to do that, you still got to spend more time with family and people value that. Now I don't know how over time that's going to work, because I know there's been a lot of advocating to go back to just everybody always being in the office, but it seems to me that the better environment would be a hybrid environment, where, if somebody can work at home and do at least as well as they do at the office. Why wouldn't you allow that? Kent Lewis ** 46:04 Right? Yeah, I think it's that's the other thing is, I do believe hybrid work is the best solution. We were doing three three days, two days in the office, required, one day, optional flex. I ended up going in most days of the week before I, you know, even after we sold and we sell at the office, because I like, I'm a social being, and I really enjoyed the time at the office. And it was, it was, I designed the space, and it was, you know, as my place, and it was my home away from home, you know. So I feel like I've lost a little bit of my identity, losing that office. Yeah, so, but yeah, I do think that it makes sense to be able to do remote work, whatever, wherever people are most effective. But I do know there is a reality that companies are fully remote have a struggle to create cohesiveness and connectiveness across distributed teams. It's just it's just science, right? Psychology, but you can be very intentional to mitigate as much as you can the downside of remote and then play up as much as you can the benefits of remote people having their life and they see, on average, I heard that people valued their remote work about to worth about $6,000 on average, that there's a number that they've quantified. Michael Hingson ** 47:21 Wow. Well, I know I've worked in offices, but I've also done a lot of work at home. So for example, I had a job back in the late 1970s and worked and lived in Massachusetts until 1981 and the company I worked for was being pursued by Xerox. And the the assumption was that Xerox was going to buy the company. So I was asked to relocate back out to California, where I had grown up, and help integrate the company into Xerox. And so I did. And so that was the first time I really worked mostly out of home and remotely from an office. And did that for two and a half, almost, well, a little over two and a half years. And my thanks for it was I was terminated because we had a recession and the big issue really was, though, that Xerox had bought the company and phased out all the people in sales because they didn't want the people. They just wanted the technology. And I've always believed that's a big mistake, because the tribal knowledge that people have is not something that you're going to get any other place. Totally, totally agree. But anyway, that occurred, and then I couldn't find a job, because the unemployment rate among employable blind people was so high, since people didn't believe blind people could work. So I ended up starting my own company selling computer aided design systems, CAD systems, to architects. Some of the early PC based CAD systems. Sold them to architects and engineers and so on. So I did have an office. We started, I started it with someone else, and had an office for four years, and then decided I had enough of owning my own company for a while, and went to work for someone else, and again, worked in an office and did that for seven years. Yeah, about seven years, and then I ended up in at the end of that, or the later part of that time, I was asked to relocate now back to the East Coast, because I was selling to Wall Street and New York and Wall Street firms really want, even though they might buy from resellers and so on, they want company, companies that make products to have them an office that they can deal with. So I ended up going back and mostly worked out of the office. But then, um. I left that company in 1997 and it was, it was a little bit different, because I was, I I had my own office, and I was the only person in it for a little while. We did have some engineers, but we all kind of worked in the office and sometimes at home. But for me, the real time of working at home happened in 2008 I was working at a nonprofit and also traveling and speaking, and the people who ran the nonprofit said, nobody's interested in September 11 anymore. And you know, you're you're not really adding any value to what we do, so we're going to phase out your job. Yeah, nobody was interested in September 11. And three years later, we had a number one New York Times bestseller, but anyway, your face yeah, so I ended up opening the Michael Hinkson Group Inc, and working out of home, and I've been doing that ever since. I enjoy working in an office. But I can work at home and I can, I can adapt. So my exposure to people and working not at home is when I travel and speak and get to go visit people and interact with them and so on. So it works out Kent Lewis ** 51:05 that's, that's fantastic, congratulations. That's awesome. Michael Hingson ** 51:10 It is, it is, you know, sometimes a challenge, but it works. So for you, what is your philosophy? You obviously do a lot of giving back to the community nowadays, is that something that has kind of grown over time, or you always had that? Or what's your philosophy regarding that? Kent Lewis ** 51:29 So I I believe that, as I mentioned, I believe earlier that learn and return us. I believe that you should giving, giving back your entire life, as soon as you're able to, in whatever way. And so I, you know, when I first moved to Portland, I barely knew anybody. I was volunteering at this local neighborhood house where it was, you know, as tutoring this kid, and ironically, in math. And I'm terrible at math. Then I went to Big Brothers, Big Sisters for a while, and then I for the last 19 for last 25 years, I've been a volunteer, and for eight or nine of those years, I was on the board of smart reading. It's a, it's a, it's not a literacy program in that you're not teaching kids to read. You're teaching kids a love of reading. So you just sit with, you know, title, title, one school kindergarteners in an area near you, and you sit and read with them for 10 to 15 minutes, that's it. And it's a game changer, because some of them didn't own any books. And then they get to take books home with them, you know, like scholastic style books. So anyway, I I decided, of all, like I have friends, that their their passion is pets, others, it's like forests or planet or whatever. To me, I think I can, I can solve all of those problems if I invest in children, because they're shaping our future, and we can put them on a trajectory. So for instance, statistically, prison capacity is based on third grade reading levels in blue. So if you're if you can't learn to read, you can't read to learn, so you need to have a be a proficient reader by third grade, or you're left behind, and you're more likely, 10 times more likely, to be in the system, and you know, not in a good way. So I realized, well, if I can help these kids with a love of reading, I was, I was slow to learn reading myself. I realized that maybe we, you know that one kid that you find a love of reading, that finds books they love and is inspired by the books and continues to read and have a successful educational career, then that's that person may go on to solve cancer or world hunger or whatever it is. So that's kind of how I look at so that's my theory in general about giving. And then specifically my passion is children. So that's kind of my thing, and I think there are a lot of different ways to do it. Last night, I was at my wife's auction or the fundraiser for her nonprofit, which is around the foster system. It's called Casa court, important court, court appointed special advocate. So these kids in the foster system have an advocate, that that's not a lawyer or a caseworker, you know, by their side through the legal system. And I think that's a fantastic cause. It aligns with my children cause. And I was, I had seven my parents fostered seven daughters, you know, Daughters of other people, and the last two were very that I remember were transformative for me as an only child, to have a sister, you know, foster sister that was living with us for, in one case, two years. And it was invaluable and helpful to me. She helped me find my love of reading, helped me learn my multiplication tables, all that things that your parents might be able to do, but it's so much cooler doing with somebody that's, you know, I think she was 17 when she moved into our house, and I was, like, nine, and she was so helpful to me, so inspiring. So in a nutshell, that's, that's what we're talking about Michael Hingson ** 54:55 when you talk talk about reading. I'm of the opinion and one of the best. Things that ever happened to reading was Harry Potter. Just the number of people, number of kids who have enjoyed reading because they got to read the Harry Potter books. I think that JK Rowling has brought so many kids to reading. It's incredible. Kent Lewis ** 55:14 Yeah, yeah. 100% 100% I Yeah. I think that even you may, you know, you may or may not like rolling, but I as a person, but she did an amazing thing and made reading fun, and that that's what matters, yeah, you know, Michael Hingson ** 55:33 yeah, well, and that's it, and then she's just done so much for for children and adults. For that matter, I talked to many adults who've read the books, and I've read all the books. I've read them several times, actually, yeah, now I'm spoiled. I read the audio versions read by Jim Dale, and one of my favorite stories about him was that he was in New York and was going to be reading a part of the latest Harry Potter book on September 11, 2001 in front of scholastic when, of course, everything happened. So he didn't do it that day, but he was in New York. What a you know, what a time to be there. That's fantastic. But, you know, things happen. So you one of the things that I've got to believe, and I think that you've made abundantly clear, is that the kind of work you do, the PR, the marketing, and all of that kind of interaction is a very time consuming, demanding job. How do you deal with work and family and make all of that function and work? Well, Kent Lewis ** 56:41 good question. I, I believe that that the, well, two things you have to have, you know, discipline, right? And so what I've done is really focused on managing my time very, very carefully, and so I have now keep in mind my oldest, I have three kids, one's graduating college as a senior, one's a sophomore who will be a junior next next year, and then The last is a sophomore in high school, so I'm there at ages where two are out of the house, so that's a little easier to manage, right? So there's that, but similarly, I try to maximize my time with my youngest and and with my wife, you know, I built in, you know, it was building in date nights, because it's easy to get into a rut where you don't want to leave the house or don't want to do whatever. And I found that it's really been good for our relationship at least once a month. And so far, it's been more like almost twice a month, which has been huge and awesome. But I've just intentional with my time, and I make sure 360 I take care of myself, which is typically working out between an hour and an hour and a half a day that I'm I really need to work on my diet, because I love burgers and bourbon and that's in moderation, perhaps sustainable, but I need to eat more veggies and less, you know, less garbage. But I also have been at the gym. I go in the Steam Room and the sauna, and I'm fortunate to have a hot tub, so I try to relax my body is after my workouts, I've been sleeping more since covid, so I work out more and sleep and sleep more post covid. And because I'm working from home, it's really I find it much easier to get up and take breaks or to, you know, just to manage my time. I'm not traveling like I used to, right? That's a, that's a big factor. So, so anyway, that's, that's kind of my take on that. I don't know if that really helps, but that's, that's kind of where I'm at. Michael Hingson ** 58:59 The other part about it, though, is also to have the discipline to be able to be at home and work when you know you have to work, and yeah, you get to take more breaks and so on, but still developing the discipline to work and also to take that time is extremely important. I think a lot of people haven't figured out how to do that Kent Lewis ** 59:19 right exactly, and that is so I do have an immense amount of, I do have an immense amount of, what would you say discipline? And so I don't know, yeah, I don't have that problem with getting the work done. In fact, my discipline is knowing when to stop, because I get into it, and I want to get things done, and I want to get it off my plate, so I tend to do sprints. But the other lesson I have from covid is listening to your biorhythms. So, you know, we're a time based society, and we look, you don't want to be late for this and that I you know, that's great, fine. But what's really more important in my mind is, um. Is to, is to be thinking about, is to let your body tell you when it's tired, if and and more importantly, is to not stress about in the mornings when I wake up early. By that, I mean between four and 6am before I really want to get up at 630 and I just if I'm awake, then I'll write stuff down to get it out of my head, or I will just start doing my start my day early and and not stress about, oh, I didn't get enough sleep. My body will catch up, yeah, it will tell me to go to bed early, or I'll sleep better the next day, or whatever it is. So that was important, and also to learn that I'm most I can get a lot of tasks done in the morning. And I think bigger picture, and that's what, that's why I wake up early, is all the things I need to do that I forgot. I didn't write down or whatever, and I think of them at between four and 6am but the other is that I do my best writing in the afternoon, like between four and six. So I told my, my wife and my, you know, my my kids, you know, my first figures out when they were both in the House. I was like, I may be working late, jamming out an article or doing whatever right before dinner, or I might be a little late. Can we can wait for dinner for a little bit? They're like, Yeah, that's fine. We don't care, right? So, but normally I'd be like, I gotta get home because it's dinner time. But now that I'm already home, I just keep working through, and then, and then, oh, I can take a quick break. But my point is, they're totally adaptable. Michael Hingson ** 1:01:27 But you communicate, yes, communication issue is key. Is key, absolutely. That's really the issues that you do communicate. Kent Lewis ** 1:01:36 It's all about setting expectations. And they had no expectations other than eating dinner. And we've been eating dinner later. Just, just a natural evolution. So it's not, it's not even an issue now, because I don't want to, I don't want to, what, right? What? Late at night, I just found it late afternoon, I just in a zone. Anyway, yeah, you listen to your body, and I'm way less stressed because I'm not worried about, oh my god, I have to get to bed at a certain time or wake up at a certain time. It's like, just kind of run with it, you know, and and go from there. So what's next for you? What's next? So I want to shift from going from speaking for free to speaking for a fee. There you go. And the re the reason why is I never asked for, and I'd even waive, you know, honorarium or pay because I got more value out of the leads. But now that I don't have an agency to represent, two things. One is, I want to get paid to do my employee engagement retention talks, because it's I'm getting great feedback on it, which is fun. But I also am being paid now by other agencies, a day rate, plus travel to go speak at the conferences. I've always spoken on that like me and want me and I just represent. I just changed the name that I'm representing. That's it, you know, Michael Hingson ** 1:02:56 well, and there's value in it. I realized some time ago, and I k
This month, I am sharing some of my favorite moments from my interview with Seth Godin that took place at our No BS Agencies Mastery retreat in May.Along with Seth's incredible expertise and wisdom, I'm adding my reflections on how those truth bombs connect to the core strategies we teach inside Mastery.In this episode, we dive into why people actually buy (or don't buy) your services. A lot of us–myself included–come into this business believing that the work should speak for itself. But here, Seth breaks down for us why that just isn't true. Making the sale is about more than the work itself. Let's talk about what actually closes the deal.Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and most of all, a teacher. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), This is Marketing, and This is Strategy. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). He is credited as the inventor of email marketing (the good kind) and has given five highly popular TED talks.By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has motivated and inspired countless people around the world.Tune into this episode to hear:Seth's personal experience showing that a product won't sell just because it's greatWhat creates the best conditions for your customers to say yesHow the Lead Product creates trust and confidence in you for your prospectsLearn more about Seth Godin:WebsiteSeth's BlogAkimbo PodcastFacebook: @sethgodinResources:No BS Clients LabNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com
Get 2 months free of Motion Array here:https://motionarray.com/?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Sign up for our LIVE Training this Sunday:https://the505podcast.courses/10steproadmapThe 10 Minute Personal Brand Kickstart (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/personalbrandkickstartWhat's up, Rock Nation! Today we're joined by Seth Godin - Bestselling author, marketing legend, and the mind behind 21 straight bestsellers that have shaped how the world thinks about business, branding, and connection.In this episode, Seth breaks down why attention without trust is worthless, why your audience size doesn't matter as much as the right audience, and the real definition of marketing (hint: it's not hustle or hype). We dive into finding your “smallest viable audience,” building stories people want to spread, and why being remarkable isn't about gimmicks - it's about meaning.Seth also shares the mindset shift that saved his career, how to stand out without selling out, and why consistency beats authenticity when it comes to building a personal brand. From the psychology behind buying decisions to the tension that makes people take action, this episode is a masterclass in creating work that matters.If you're ready to stop chasing clicks and start building something worth talking about, this one's for you.Check out Seth here:https://www.instagram.com/sethgodin/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.the505podcast.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsMore Free Products:Our 5 Positioning Tips to Land Bigger Clients (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/5positioningtips 6 Questions to ask on Every Sales Call (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/6questionsfordiscoverycallCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.the505podcast.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKG Presets Vol. 1https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsKostas' Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejTimestamps: 0:00 - Intro0:59 - What makes people buy vs not1:43 - Views vs influence2:51 - Remarkable isn't a gimmick4:08 - Advertising vs. Marketing5:31 - Marketing hasn't changed7:39 - You have to admit you're not that good10:44 - The power of speaking to our customers12:17 - People are distracted by false proxies15:55 - Motion Array16:50 - Find 10 people that trust you18:27 - Getting kicked out of the publishing industry21:26 - Why Seth wrote The Purple Cow24:15 - Marketing a Personal Brand vs. Tradition Brand27:25 - Live Training28:07 - Why tension is so important29:47 - The smallest viable audience31:08 - Navigating Dupes on Amazon33:48 - What it takes to create a Purple Cow business36:24 - How to implement a marketing strategy38:18 - Learn to play the right game40:14 - Authenticity is bullshit46:28 - Post Pod DebriefIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/
This month, I am sharing something very special with you.At our May 2025 No BS Agencies Mastery retreat in Brooklyn, I got the one and only Seth Godin to speak as our expert guest. In our private fireside chat with No BS Agency owners, Seth did what he does best, and dropped wisdom left and right.It was electrifying. Everyone in the room was furiously taking notes the whole time.So I've gathered some of my favorite moments–and trust me, it was so hard to narrow it down!–to share with you and my reflections on how they connect back to the core strategies we teach inside Mastery.This episode is all about how we make decisions in our businesses.Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and most of all, a teacher. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), This is Marketing, and This is Strategy. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). He is credited as the inventor of email marketing (the good kind) and has given five highly popular TED talks.By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has motivated and inspired countless people around the world.Tune into this episode to hear:What you have to remember about good decisions vs have good outcomesHow to evaluate your decisions A faulty thinking when making or evaluating decisionsLearn more about Seth Godin:WebsiteSeth's BlogAkimbo PodcastFacebook: @sethgodinResources:No BS Clients LabNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com
Episode 457: I will discuss the short-lived TV series Chicago Story, and I will read a menu from The Purple Cow Ice Cream Shop in Chicago.
Episode 457: I will discuss the short-lived TV series Chicago Story, and I will read a menu from The Purple Cow Ice Cream Shop in Chicago.
Daily QuoteBelieve nothing you hear, and only one half that you see. (Edgar Allan Poe)Poem of the DayThe Purple CowGelett BurgessBeauty of Words从百草园到三味书屋鲁迅
Check out our other socials here: https://linktr.ee/closecallspod Intro - 00:00 You Use Timestamps? - 01:21 Check Out Our Old Episodes - 04:30 No Thumbs or No Ears? - 06:25 Raw Onions are Gross - 15:37 Have you ever tried a Purple Cow? - 32:50 Close Call or Not Close at All - 36:12 Ridiculous Origin Stories - 56:57 Comic Call Out: New Captain America - 1:20:02 Thanks for watching!
How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market: The Purple Cow Principle
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep146Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Both of our cafes are on pace to hit $1 million in revenue this year, and we believe we could do it again, from scratch, in just 18 months. How? In this episode, we break down the lessons, systems, and strategies we've learned from building two busy coffee shops. We talk Purple Cow experiences, the impact of killer systems, and the absolute necessity of being in your customer's evoked set. Whether you're opening your first cafe or scaling your second, this episode is full of actionable steps to build a seven-figure shop.*If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale*Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep146Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account!Want to send us coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffeeWe're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Mahlkonig, Anfim and Eureka products!Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcErWant to get your business in front of more people? We partnered with Local Eyes Growth to grow our business through SEO and the results have been incredible. Local Eyes is offering a FREE backlink ($300 value) to Valor Coffee Podcast listeners who partner through our exclusive link. Visit https://localeyesgrowth.com/valor to get the ball rolling!Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepodFollow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffeeSubscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrookFollow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrookFollow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswaltersFollow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers77700:00:00 - Intrrrrrrooooooooooooo00:02:17 - Another Week Down the (Good?) Drain00:03:48 - Let's Talk Money Honey00:09:03 - Point 1: Purple Cow00:18:47 - Point 2: Systems00:35:06 - Point 3: Evoked Set of Customers00:52:09 - Breakdown of the numbers
Seth Godin is a bestselling author of “Purple Cow” and “This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans”. Godin is a member of the Marketing Hall of Fame and the Coordinator of The Carbon Almanac. Godin joined chief Rule Breaker David Gardner joined TMF CIO Andy Cross to discuss: - If AI has a branding problem. - How the needs for status and affiliation drive human behavior. - Alphabet's strategy problem. Companies mentioned: NKE, H, GOOG, GOOGL Hosts: David Gardner, Andy Cross Guest: Seth Godin Engineer: Dan Boyd Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We're committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. [The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period.] or [The product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF.] [Advertiser] paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Legendary Seth Godin, bestselling author of Linchpin, Purple Cow, The Dip, Tribes, and The Practice on wrestling with creative resistance, getting past self-doubt, and how to build a resilient creative practice that thrives—even in an age of AIWe talk about:Why writing isn't about talent—but about creating the conditions for skillWhy “Do you like it?” is the wrong question to askAnd how to build a resilient creative practice that thrives—even in an age of AIHow to keep going when there's no map and no promise of success*About Seth GodinSeth Godin is the author of 21 bestselling books that have reshaped the way people think about marketing, leadership, and creative work. His books have been translated into 39 languages and include Linchpin, Purple Cow, The Dip, Tribes, and The Practice. He's also the founder of altMBA, the Carbon Almanac, and multiple pioneering ventures in the online business world. Seth writes one of the most popular blogs in the world and continues to inspire millions of creators to make and ship work that matters.*Resources and Links:
Simon Sinek is the bestselling author of Start With Why and the creator of one of the most watched TEDx talks of all time. Seth Godin has written over 20 bestselling books, including Purple Cow and This is Marketing. Together, they've helped millions rethink how they lead, create, and show up in the world.In today's episode, Seth and Simon join me to talk about what it really means to be “remarkable” in today's world, how to move forward when things fall apart, and why some people stay stuck while others find their spark again. Seth explains how he's built his career from scratch: the power of showing up, trying new things, and what he does to stay grounded when some of his efforts fail. He also reveals the factors that make most people afraid to share their ideas, and how to escape the danger of no one caring at all about your ideas.Simon shares how he went through burnout even though his business looked successful from the outside and the moment that changed everything, and helped him discover his 'why'. He also reveals the steps you can take to stop burning out and discover your own purpose!We also explore what's happening in the world of marketing, the rise of burnout, and how to lead with more purpose and clarity, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.Join us today to understand how to stand out in today's world, why so many people feel stuck in their work, and what it actually takes to build a life and business that is exceptional, not one that just looks good.Seth Godin's Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethgodin/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/sethgodin/Simon Sinek's Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonsinek/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/simonsinek/Connect with Hilary:Website: https://therelaunchco.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarydecesare/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReLaunchCoInterested in being a guest on the ReLaunch Podcast or booking Hilary as a guest? Email us at hello@therelaunchco.comFind Us on Your Favorite Podcast App – https://the-silver-lined-relaunch.captivate.fm/listen
Full Name: Katarina Carlsson Email: wisdomiwundu@gmail.com Phone Number: +13017607080 Katarina Hanssens Carlsson is the founder of Destiny International 11, a transformational platform that empowers individuals looking to pivot into entrepreneurship to unlock their highest probability of success. As a UN Global Speaker with over 20 years of experience, Katarina's work has helped over 2000 entrepreneurs navigate the startup world and beat the odds. Her signature neuroscience-based Entrepreneurial Success Blueprint™ delivers total business clarity in just 4 hours - not days or months—and has earned her recognition as a Global TechStars Mentor and a feature cover story on The Business Woman Today. In the world of entrepreneurship, Katarina's methodology is a true “Purple Cow” with its perfect record of validating any startup idea in only 4 hours. She's passionate about giving back through this platform, helping entrepreneurs to achieve certainty, clarity, and a compelling vision in an uncertain world. Connect with David LINKS: www.davidhill.ai SOCIALS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidihill/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidihill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidHillcoach TicTok: www.tiktok.com/@davidihill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidihill X: https://twitter.com/davidihill RING LEADER AI DEMO CALL 77 4-214-2076
What do Bacon and Seth Godin's Purple Cow have in common? They both teach us how to stand out, add value, and make a lasting impression! On this week's episode of "Bacon Bits with Master Happiness," your host Marty Jalove, alongside his sons Luke and Nate, took a deep-dive into marketing magic, personal branding, and the not-so-secret sauce of success.If you've ever wondered how to turn your good business into a great one, or your great one into something truly unforgettable, this episode is a must-listen. Armed with Seth Godin's Purple Cow mantra and Marty's trusty BACON Formula, they explore what it takes to differentiate yourself in life and business.B - Be BoldA - Add ValueC - Connect EmotionallyO - Offer ExclusivityN - Never Stop InnovatingTune in for Bacon, Branding, and Boldness!For a whole lot of laughs, clever insights, and bacon-flavored life advice, you won't want to miss "Seth Godin and the Purple Cow" on Bacon Bits with Master Happiness. Listen now, and remember: whether it's life, business, or lunch, everything's better with bacon! Catch the episode on your favorite podcast platform!www.MasterHappiness.comwww.WhatsYourBacon.comwww.BaconBitsRadio.com
AI, marketing, brand, creativity... just a few of the subjects that Seth Godin can talk about with eloquence and insight. This week the "Purple Cow" author is here with David and guest-host Andy Cross to shed light on what earns attention, transaction, and loyalty. Hosts: David Gardner, Andy Cross Guest: Seth Godin Producer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this candid, unscripted "snack episode," Tracy is interviewed by Miranda, our Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International and the Thriving Practice Community. Tracy shares her practical planning process for helping healthcare practice owners transform their ideas into achievable quarterly goals. She explains how to plan effectively even during uncertainty and maintain enthusiasm while building a practice vision despite challenges. Key Takeaways: Tracy's planning process starts with clarity - connecting the what, why, and how of your goals Emotional connection to goals makes it easier to put in the necessary effort Beginning with clarity increases speed rather than haste Break down long-term goals by working backward - from 12 months to 9, 6, 3 months, then to weekly and daily tasks Breaking goals into smaller chunks prevents feeling overwhelmed Celebrate daily accomplishments with a "ta-da list" to maintain positive energy and momentum Look for subtle wins: improved feelings, better sleep, increased energy at work Lack of patience is a major challenge for healthcare entrepreneurs who want solutions immediately The importance of "slowing down to speed up" - surrendering to the process brings clarity Finding your practice's unique edge goes beyond clinical expertise to what makes you stand out in a competitive market Notable Quotes: "When we're emotionally connected to a goal, then it's easier for us...to put in the effort and the labor that's required to make something come to fruition." "Clarity actually helps us increase speed rather than like haste." "Sometimes when we have big goals, it can feel so overwhelming that we don't even start." "My coach who trained me taught me about the ta-da list at the end of each day, which is...don't diminish progress." "When we use this beautiful tool called surrender and we trust the process, that slowing down brings us that clarity that helps us then move forward with more speed." "What makes you stand out so that you don't feel like it's about competition...Seth Godin calls it Purple Cow. Right? Like, what is it about your practice that makes you unique? And it can't just be your clinical expertise. It's not enough." Miranda's Bio: Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022. Tracy's Bio: Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. Connect With Us: Be a Guest on the Show Thriving Practice Community Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy Tracy's LinkedIn Business LinkedIn Page Thriving Practice Community Instagram
#239: Measurement | In this Exit Five live session, Dave sits down with Pranav Piyush, Co-Founder & CEO of Paramark (ex-PayPal, Dropbox, Adobe, BILL), to talk about the future of B2B marketing measurement.Spoiler alert: it's not clicks.They break down why the old way of doing attribution doesn't cut it anymore and why leading B2B teams are shifting toward incrementality, experimentation, and marketing mix modeling.Dave and Pranav also cover:The gaps in the old way of doing attributionWhat the best B2B marketing teams are doing now for attributionThe key questions CMOs face from boards and execs about measurementThree things you can do this quarter to improve your measurementTimestamps(00:00) - – Intro to Pranav (04:33) - – The Purple Cow mindset: why differentiation matters more than ever (06:13) - – Pranav's background (PayPal, Dropbox, Adobe, BILL → Paramark) (07:18) - – “Measurement is Robin. Creative is Batman.” (08:33) - – Why click/touch attribution is flawed and misleading (12:03) - – The 95/5 rule: most of your audience isn't in-market…yet (14:48) - – How top brands (Asana, DoorDash, P&G) measure beyond attribution (16:13) - – What is incrementality and why it's more useful than attribution (18:33) - – Why revenue isn't always the right KPI - especially in long sales cycles (20:33) - – Intro to marketing mix modeling (MMM) and how it works (22:33) - – Visualizing baseline vs. incremental impact on pipeline (23:48) - – Geo testing: how to prove a channel's impact without attribution tools (25:48) - – The branded search trap: why you should test turning it off (28:18) - – Even Meta, Google, LinkedIn admit attribution is flawed (29:03) - – How to measure untrackable stuff (organic, content, social) (32:33) - – Why “credit” kills performance (34:23) - – Measurement for startups (37:18) - – What to do if all you track is closed-won revenue (39:03) - – Why attribution software is overkill under $100K in spend (40:18) - – Should you ask “How did you hear about us?” (43:03) - – How to carve out budget for channel testing (45:43) - – Don't skip audience research (49:03) - – Creativity is still your #1 growth lever (measurement just supports it) (50:33) - – Wrap-up and final takeaways Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today's episode is brought to you by Grammarly.Ever have one of those weeks where you spent more time replying to Slack and email than doing actual marketing work?You're not alone. The average marketing team spends 28+ hours a week just keeping up with comms.That leads to burnout, frustration, and a whole lot of performative productivity that doesn't actually move the needle.AI-fluent marketing teams are changing that. Grammarly's 2025 Productivity Shift Report shows how they're using AI to:– Cut down on back-and-forth– Automate content, research, and reporting– Eliminate busywork– Make space for strategyWe're marketers because we love crafting campaigns, driving revenue, and proving impact – not spending all day buried in messages.Get the report and see how top teams are making AI actually useful.Visit go.grammarly.com/exitfive to grab it.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
Want to stand out in a crowded multifamily market?Spoiler: It's not your pool. It's not your gym. And it's definitely not the number of stainless steel appliances you have.In this episode of the Multifamily Collective, Mike Brewer unpacks a truth we all need to hear—people are your greatest competitive advantage. When everything else is equal—location, rent, amenities—what truly sets your community apart is how you make people feel.That means:Training your team to listen, not just leaseTeaching instincts over scriptsMaking sure residents (and supplier partners) feel seen, heard, and valuedYou don't need to be 6'8" to stand out. You just need to care—and show it.Inside this episode:Why emotional intelligence trumps feature warsThe death of the leasing script and rise of natural connectionHow poor service habits are killing your brand experienceWhat it really means to be a Purple Cow in the multifamily fieldPut the phone down. Look people in the eye. Serve first—and serve well.Like what you're hearing? Smash that Like button, Subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that service is the strategy.
Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102 See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/
Welcome To The Real Oshow,0:00 Intro1:02 The Real Oshow Studio3:05 MrBeast On The Diary Of A CEO12:48 Accidentally Going To Twin Peaks 18:24 Rick Pitino NIL Impact33:00 NFL Report Cards43:00 Closing Thoughts In this episode of The Real OShow, brothers Joshua and Zachary Owings break down MrBeast's interview with Steven Bartlett, in which he reveals his Purple Cow strategy for viral videos. We also dive into how he perfected Feastables by making the chocolate bar unbreakable and installing security cameras in Walmart to monitor product issues in real-time.Next, we discuss how NIL is reshaping college sports, from massive endorsement deals to the future of recruiting. Finally, we review the 2024 NFL Report Cards, exposing which teams treat their players the best—and which are failing behind the scenes.Enjoy the show! All Love, Check Out our Youtube Page- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoqz3s_B_VYHuQtuVIDxpiQTik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@therealoshow?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcTweet @zacharyowings2 with what you thought about the podcast or what you want us to discuss in future shows. Music by Leno Tk- Greatness (Streaming All Platforms)
Where most people give up after a handful of rejections, Seth Godin got rejected 800 times by editors before finally making a big break. For him, every “no” was a clue. He adapted and mastered the system, and soon, the same editors who dismissed him were calling him first. His success wasn't luck or passion. It was built by showing up, iterating, and playing the long game. In this episode, Seth joins Ilana to reveal why most people quit before they succeed, how to market ideas people want, and why smart strategy, not passion, drives real success. Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and marketing expert widely recognized for his groundbreaking ideas on marketing, leadership, and business innovation. He inspires individuals and businesses to make a difference by being creative, authentic, and impactful. In this episode, Ilana and Seth will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (01:34) Startup Failures and Early Struggles (02:48) From 800 Rejections to Breakthrough (04:34) Turning Rejections into Strategic Insights (06:25) How to Lead Change Amid Resistance (09:23) Why Commitment Beats Passion (11:12) The Dip: Knowing When to Stay or Quit (14:31) How to Create Value in Niche Spaces (19:32) Building Success with Constant Iteration (23:33) Strategies for Earning Your Worth (27:06) Building Brand Reputation Through Consistency (31:55) The Chocolate Bar Marketing Strategy (34:34) Embracing Failure as Part of the Journey Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and marketing expert widely recognized for his groundbreaking ideas on marketing, leadership, and business innovation. He is the author of over 20 best-selling books, including Purple Cow, and This Is Marketing. Seth inspires individuals and businesses to make a difference by being creative, authentic, and impactful. Connect with Seth: Seth's Website: https://www.sethgodin.com/ Seth's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethgodin/ Resources Mentioned: Seth's Blog: https://seths.blog/ Seth's Book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) https://www.amazon.com/Dip-Little-Book-Teaches-Stick/dp/1591841666 Seth's Book, This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans: https://www.amazon.com/This-Strategy-Better-Elevate-Community/dp/B0D47T8S7N Seth's Book, This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See: https://www.amazon.com/This-Marketing-Cant-Until-Learn/dp/0525540830/ Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training
Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102 See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/
How do you stand out in a saturated, digitally dominated world? In this episode, I sit down with Scott Grates, TEDx speaker and USA Today bestselling author of Referrals Done Right, to uncover the power of relationships, consistency, and creating memorable customer experiences. Topics Covered: The challenge of standing out in today's digital world The Purple Cow and Blue Ocean Strategy approaches to differentiation Why the most competitive industries demand a unique customer experience The importance of consistency in building brand awareness and customer loyalty How relationships drive referrals and business growth Why asking better questions leads to better business opportunities How small business owners can compete against corporate giants The role of connection agents in today's marketplace Resources Mentioned: Referrals Done Right – Scott Grates' book on mastering referral-based growth Purple Cow by Seth Godin – Standing out in a crowded marketplace Blue Ocean Strategy – Creating uncontested market space Want to connect with Scott? Visit scottgrates.com or find him on LinkedIn (but no spam, please!).
Stand Out With Seth Godin - Blossom Your Awesome Podcast Episode 291Seth Godin joins us on this episode of the show. Seth Godin is a renowned marketing pioneer, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. Known for revolutionizing modern marketing thought, he's written over 20 books including "Purple Cow," "This Is Marketing," and "Linchpin." As the founder of altMBA and The Marketing Seminar, Godin advocates for creating remarkable products and ideas that spread naturally. His daily blog, one of the most popular in the world, has been running continuously since 2002. Through his work, he challenges conventional thinking about marketing, leadership, and creating meaningful change in the digital age.SummaryIn this engaging conversation, Seth Godin shares insights on marketing, creativity, and the importance of humility and empathy. He discusses his journey as a teacher and marketer, emphasizing the need for resilience and the value of learning from failures. Godin critiques the current state of marketing, advocating for genuine connections over noise. He introduces his new venture, GoodBids.org, aimed at revolutionizing charity auctions, and addresses pressing issues like climate change. Throughout, he encourages listeners to define their own success and to challenge the status quo.TakeawaysCreating the conditions for success is essential.Humility comes from recognizing the role of luck in success.Boredom can drive creativity and innovation.Great ideas often come from constraints and boundaries.Marketing should be about empathy and genuine connection.Failures are crucial for personal and professional growth.Mentorship is overrated; look for heroes instead.Empathy is key in teaching and marketing.Technology is a tool; understanding it is vital.Challenge the status quo to make a meaningful impact.TitlesSeth Godin: The King of MarketingNavigating the Noise of Modern MarketingSound Bites"I'm easily bored.""Don't listen to tips.""Go make a ruckus."To see more of my work - checkout my substack here. Or sign up for my weekly newsletter here.
Ever realized how storytelling goes beyond marketing, actually influencing product value, brand perception, and the triumph of company exits? The benefits of storytelling contribute to the long-term growth and success of a business by shaping its identity, influencing how it is perceived, and building a loyal customer base. People are drawn to stories that resonate with their experiences, values, and aspirations. And by crafting a unique and authentic narrative, businesses can differentiate themselves and leave a lasting impression on consumers. Clay Hebert, a visionary in this real, delves into the art of weaving narratives that define the trajectory of businesses. As a renowned entrepreneur, storyteller, and marketing strategist, he has a proven track record of helping companies craft compelling narratives that not only drive growth but also resonate with their target audience. His insights into the art of storytelling have been shared on stages worldwide, inspiring countless individuals to leverage storytelling for business success. Today, he is joining us on The Greatness Machine to look back on how it started, who inspired him, and how he became the man that he is right now. In this episode, Darius and Clay explore Clay's journey from selling candy bars to embracing entrepreneurship and creative marketing. They emphasize the power of personal connections over sales pitches, the influence of Seth Godin, strategic customer selection, and the creation of the "Perfect Intro" framework. The conversation underscores how storytelling shapes product value, brand perception, and company success, encapsulating Clay's expertise in marketing, entrepreneurship, and storytelling dynamics. Topics include: How Clay learned an early lesson in marketing by selling candy bars What inspired Clay to shift towards entrepreneurship and creative marketing The importance of creative thinking and adapting to different environments in overcoming creative blocks The value of personal connection over sales pitches How Seth Godin played a vital role in Clay's entrepreneurial journey Clay explains why strategic customer selection matters in a business Clay recalls his encounter with Matt Mullenweg and how that meeting led to the idea of the “Perfect Intro” framework How the power of storytelling impacts a company's life cycle And other topics… Resources mentioned: Purple Cow: https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Cow-Transform-Business-Remarkable/dp/014101640X This is Marketing: https://www.amazon.com/This-Marketing-Cant-Until-Learn/dp/0241370140/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Creative Act: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Act-Way-Being/dp/0593652886/ref=sr_1_1 Connect with Clay: Website: https://clayhebert.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayhebert/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/clayhebert Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoompdarius/ YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Sponsored by: Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/DARIUS. Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/darius. Stash: Join millions of Americans reaching their financial goals—starting at just $3/month! Get $25 towards your first stock purchase at get.stash.com/GREATNESS. Rocket Money: Cancel unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster at RocketMoney.com/Darius. Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We all want to love what we do, but is there really a “dream job” out there that guarantees our career happiness? Experts tell us to “follow our passion”—but what does that even mean? And is it really the key to career fulfillment? In this episode, Matt O'Neill reveals the truth about career happiness and why passion alone won't get you there. Instead of chasing an elusive dream job, you'll discover a revolutionary approach to finding deep satisfaction in your work. Matt shares his personal journey from post-college uncertainty to building a fulfilling career, offering practical strategies for developing rare and valuable skills that create lasting happiness. You'll also learn the four key components that make a job truly wonderful—and how to cultivate them in your current role or future opportunities. If you're ready to transform your professional life and finally feel happy at work, this episode is for you! 0:00 Introduction 5:06 Selling recycled ink 10:12 The four components of workplace happiness 15:47 Developing rare and valuable skills 21:56 Finding purpose in real estate 27:33 The journey to becoming a great CEO 33:09 Seeking autonomy and control in your career 38:15 Embracing the challenge of meaningful work Resources Mentioned: “So Good They Can't Ignore You" by Cal Newport "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits" by Verne Harnish "Traction" by Gino Wickman "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin Ready to live a life of Conscious Happiness? Get the book: Good Mood Revolution: Igniting the Power of Conscious Happiness at https://a.co/d/2pgzwpU What is your Good Mood Superpower? Take the Good Mood Assessment to learn your positive strengths here: https://mattoneill.com/good-mood-assessment/ Ready to elevate your happiness? Consider how 1on1 Happiness Coaching with Matt O'Neill could change your outlook on life. Learn more at https://mattoneill.com/coaching/
Seth Godin is the author of 21 internationally bestselling books, translated into more than 35 languages, including Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, and Purple Cow. His latest book is This Is Strategy.Sponsors:Cresset prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs: https://cressetcapital.com/tim (book a call today) AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. In this LinkedIn Live, I had the wonderful honor of welcoming my dear friend, Seth Godin, who I met in 2001 through his book Purple Cow, which is one of my all-time favorite books. Along the way, Seth has always been a great supporter of me and my career. Today, I'm eager to discuss Seth's latest book, This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants a fresh perspective on leadership and strategy. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…strategy isn't a lofty document or annual exercise. It's a compass guiding every decision you make. Seth challenges the conventional idea of strategy as static and instead frames it as a dynamic, iterative process of becoming. He shares nuggets of wisdom from his new book, which he says is a love letter for the people he cares about. KEY TAKEAWAYS… Fear is often the thing that holds people back from making bold decisions. False proxies, like easy-to-measure but irrelevant metrics, can misguide your focus. The best leaders inspire action by focusing on the “why” behind their strategies. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Seth's thoughts on practical empathy. He says it's easy to become attached to something because you've worked hard on it. Practical empathy is understanding your audience and imagining what they need, even if that means reinventing your offerings. It's a call to lead with both courage and care. Running Time: 29:45 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Seth Online: Website LinkedIn Seth's Book: The Corporate Startup
Watch & Subscribe on YouTubeAre you tired of feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of building a brand that truly resonates? You're not alone, and this episode is here to guide you through the essentials of creating a brand that people know, like, and trust.In this episode Krisstina sits down with Seth Spears, a marketing expert with a rich history in digital marketing and brand building. Seth shares his journey from a rebellious, homeschooled child to a successful entrepreneur who co-founded the renowned Wellness Mama brand. His insights into the evolution of brand building and the importance of maintaining quality and authenticity are invaluable for anyone looking to make a lasting impact.In this episode, we explore the timeless principles of marketing that remain relevant today, despite the ever-changing digital landscape. Seth discusses the significance of brand consistency, quality differentiation, and the power of word-of-mouth marketing. We also touch on the challenges of modern marketing, including the rise of influencers and the necessity of ad budgets in today's crowded marketplace.If you're ready to transform your approach to brand building and marketing, click to listen and discover how to make your brand stand out in a sea of sameness. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a true marketing genius!Upcoming WorkshopIf you're looking for more ways to elevate your life and business, join me for my FREE annual Goal Setting & Business Planning Workshop, a half-day, hands-on session where you'll learn the exact system I use to design a life and business that truly align. This is not just a learning experience—it's a doing workshop, where you'll leave with a clear plan and actionable steps for a business that produces profits that fully support the life you want. Register HERE: https://fullcast.co/ww-gsw Key Takeaways0:00 Intro6:25 Seath Spears' College Experience12:43 Entrepreneurial Beginnings19:45 Building Wellness Mama25:05 Brand Building and Consistency32:09 Challenges in Modern Marketing40:15 Wellness Products and Quality47:43 Balancing Business and Life54:52 Myth Busting in HealthMemorable Quotes"People do business with those they know, like, and trust. Your brand is everything you stand for—the look, feel, touch, taste, smell, and the feeling someone gets when they interact with it.""I've always been intrinsically curious, questioning why things are the way they are. The status quo just didn't work for me.""My formula for success has been to do the right things long enough consistently. It's the principle of compounding, whether in business, branding, marketing, or wealth building.""Health starts in the mouth. We're inundated with toxins daily, so it's crucial to reduce the toxic load our bodies face.""We already have what we want, but we think we have to do more to get somewhere else. What if it's not about more? What if it's about less?"Resources MentionedWellness Mama- https://wellnessmama.comWellnesse - https://wellnesse.comJeff Walker's Product Launch Formula - https://productlaunchformula.comSeth Godin's "Purple Cow" -
Seth Godin is a legend. He's a marketer, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of more than 20 books, including Purple Cow, Permission Marketing, and Linchpin. He also writes one of the most popular and longest-running blogs in the world (approaching publishing 10,000 in a row!) and continues to shape how we think about marketing, brand, product, and creating lasting change in the world. In our conversation, we discuss:• How to build remarkable products that spread• The four critical strategic choices that determine your future• How to develop good taste and high standards• The role of tension in great strategy• How Seth used Claude to write his newest book• Much more—Brought to you by:• DX—A platform for measuring and improving developer productivity• Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security• Paragon—Ship every SaaS integration your customers want—Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/seth-godins-tactics-for-building-remarkable-products—Where to find Seth Godin:• X: https://x.com/thisissethsblog• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethgodin• Website: https://www.sethgodin.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Seth's background(05:17) Understanding good taste and upholding high standards(08:09) Become the best at whatever you do(09:48) Seth's journey as a product manager(14:09) What people often get wrong when building products(16:00) Building a brand in the age of AI(19:04) Using AI to enhance writing(22:40) Four critical elements for an effective strategy(27:38) The role of tension in strategy(29:15) The concept of the purple cow(33:11) "Safe is risky"(34:56) The power of systems(37:07) Better waves make better surfers(38:10) Rebranding vs. re-logoing(43:07) Empathetic leadership(44:14) Conclusion and farewell—Referenced:• Seth Godin on the Tim Ferriss Show: https://tim.blog/2024/03/20/seth-godin-3/• Persuasive communication and managing up | Wes Kao (Maven, Seth Godin, Section4): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/persuasive-communication-wes-kao• Spinnaker: https://spinnaker.io• Ray Bradbury: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Bradbury• Arthur C. Clarke: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke• Isaac Asimov: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov• Roger Zelazny: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny• Herbie Hancock: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbie_Hancock• Fahrenheit 451 (game): https://www.filfre.net/2013/09/fahrenheit-451-the-game/• RTFM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM#• Intercom: https://www.intercom.com• Claude: https://claude.ai• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com• Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com• Steam: https://store.steampowered.com• P.F. Flyers: https://pfflyers.com• Steve Blank's website: https://steveblank.com• Marissa Mayer on X: https://x.com/marissamayer• Jaguar unveils new logo ahead of electric relaunch: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr0pw00n7qo• IHOP Becomes IHOb, the International House of ... Burgers: https://www.npr.org/2018/06/11/618844977/ihop-becomes-ihob-the-international-house-of-burgers• Oreo's Super Bowl Power-Outage Tweet Was 18 Months in the Making: https://www.businessinsider.com/oreos-super-bowl-power-outage-tweet-was-18-months-in-the-making-2013-3• Tesla's New ‘Ludicrous Mode' Makes the Model S a Supercar: https://www.wired.com/2015/07/teslas-new-ludicrous-mode-makes-model-s-supercar—Recommended books:• This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans (Create a Strategy to Elevate Your Career, Community & Life): https://www.amazon.com/This-Strategy-Better-Elevate-Community/dp/B0D47T8S7N• Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable: https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Cow-New-Transform-Remarkable/dp/1591843170—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Death and the Purple Cow
In this episode of the Million Dollar Mastermind podcast, host Larry Weidel is joined by the legendary blogger, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker Seth Godin. Seth shares his journey in the book industry, highlighting that success isn't always tied to book quality but to timing, effort, and spreading ideas. Seth also dives into his early failures, including 900 rejections, his unique perspective on life and business, and why he writes daily, maintaining this habit for over 8,000 days. Seth has written 22 bestsellers published in 39 languages, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), and the recently launched This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. After leaving Spinnaker in 1986, he self-funded Seth Godin Productions with $20,000 as a book packaging business. He operated this venture out of a studio apartment in New York City.
In this episode of the Million Dollar Mastermind podcast, host Larry Weidel is joined by the legendary blogger, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker Seth Godin. Seth shares his journey in the book industry, highlighting that success isn't always tied to book quality but to timing, effort, and spreading ideas. Seth also dives into his early failures, including 900 rejections, his unique perspective on life and business, and why he writes daily, maintaining this habit for over 8,000 days. Seth has written 22 bestsellers published in 39 languages, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), and the recently launched This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. After leaving Spinnaker in 1986, he self-funded Seth Godin Productions with $20,000 as a book packaging business. He operated this venture out of a studio apartment in New York City.
In this episode of the Million Dollar Mastermind podcast, host Larry Weidel is joined by the legendary blogger, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker Seth Godin. Seth shares his journey in the book industry, highlighting that success isn't always tied to book quality but to timing, effort, and spreading ideas. Seth also dives into his early failures, including 900 rejections, his unique perspective on life and business, and why he writes daily, maintaining this habit for over 8,000 days. Seth has written 22 bestsellers published in 39 languages, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), and the recently launched This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. After leaving Spinnaker in 1986, he self-funded Seth Godin Productions with $20,000 as a book packaging business. He operated this venture out of a studio apartment in New York City.
Seth Godin is a renowned author, entrepreneur, and thought leader in marketing and business. With over 20 published books, including bestsellers like "Purple Cow" and "Tribes," he has reshaped how we think about marketing strategies, leadership, and creative innovation. Known for his daily blog that reaches an extensive readership, Seth is a pivotal figure in modern management, often compared to legendary thinkers like Peter Drucker. Recently, he authored "This is Strategy" and is a seminal voice in understanding and navigating complex systems. Episode Summary: In this Part 2 episode, Greg is joined by the legendary Seth Godin, whose work in business literature and marketing has influenced millions globally. Godin and McKeown explore how viewing the world through a systems lens can empower anyone to take strategic, high-leverage actions that yield significant results. The discussion highlights the profound impact of naming and defining elements within systems to influence outcomes and decisions. Seth shares personal anecdotes, emphasizing the shift from passive observation to active engagement, using empathy as a strategic tool. The episode is rich with insights on navigating change, avoiding false proxies, and how companies and individuals can reinvent themselves by unearthing these vital, albeit often hidden, opportunities. Key Takeaways: Systems Thinking: The importance of understanding and navigating complex systems to take strategic, high-impact actions. Empathy as a Tool: Using empathy not merely for kindness but as a practical tool to serve and understand others' underlying motivations and goals. Changing Perspectives: Transitioning from passive observation to active engagement can unlock opportunities for personal and professional growth. Avoiding False Proxies: Identifying and rejecting false success metrics to focus on actions that truly matter. Curiosity's Power: Embracing curiosity to uncover underlying truths and leverage points in any interaction or system. Notable Quotes: Seth Godin: "I think that empathy sometimes gets put into the ghetto called kindness. And I'm in favor of kindness. But empathy is also a really practical tool." Greg McKeown: "Curious people just understood somehow that the system gets more interesting behind the surface." Seth Godin: "If we can just try to imagine what it is to be the node that they are, try to imagine what their internal system is like or what their deep goals are, we can serve them without manipulating them." Resources: Seth's Blog: Seth's Blog Seth's Book: This is Strategy Follow Seth on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn Affiliate links are used where appropriate. We earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Greg! Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
It's not every day that one gets to pick the brain of an industry hall of famer… and that's why, friend, today you're in for a treat.I'm beyond thrilled to welcome back Seth Godin—the marketing genius, best-selling author, and thought leader—for round two on the podcast.From the get-go, Seth and I explored the profound difference between marketing and advertising. Spoiler alert: it's all about creating meaningful connections and truly understanding your audience's needs.We're diving DEEP into what it really means to create a brand, drive meaningful marketing, and build a business that lasts.But don't get it twisted… this isn't your typical “marketing 101” talk. Seth shares insights that flip the script on what you think you know about strategy, branding, and even failure.Click play to hear all of this and:(00:01:18) Why most people don't actually have a “marketing problem”—it's something deeper.(00:04:04) Why having a strategy is your secret weapon for marketing success (and how to think about strategy correctly).(00:06:02) How Google became a brand people love, without ads. (Yes, really!)(00:09:07) Why Seth's iconic book Purple Cow changed the game for marketers everywhere.(00:13:22) The difference between gaining new followers and serving your existing audience (this one is GOLD).(00:17:51) Marketing is a game—Seth breaks it down in a way that makes you want to rethink how you play.(00:20:14) How we can turn the marketing tasks we dread into something we actually enjoy.(00:24:05) How to stop chasing false proxies (a.k.a. things that don't matter, like views and likes).(00:24:46) When to let go of what's no longer working and pivot—without regret.(00:26:57) Seth's #1 mantra for success: “This might not work.”Listen to Related Episodes:Are You a Freelancer or Entrepreneur? Seth Godin Has the Answer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-you-a-freelancer-or-entrepreneur-seth-godin-has/id1479619320?i=1000472366766How to Audit Your Current Business Strategy for Sustainable Growth: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-un-sexy-strategy-for-business-growth/id1479619320?i=1000626784795The BEST Guerrilla Marketing Strategies You NEED to Know: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-un-sexy-strategy-for-business-growth/id1479619320?i=1000626784795Connect With Seth Godin:Seth's new book, This is Strategy: https://geni.us/thisisstrategySeth's blog: https://seths.blog/Follow Seth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethgodin
Seth Godin is a renowned author, entrepreneur, and thought leader in marketing and business. With over 20 published books, including bestsellers like "Purple Cow" and "Tribes," he has reshaped how we think about marketing strategies, leadership, and creative innovation. Known for his daily blog that reaches an extensive readership, Seth is a pivotal figure in modern management, often compared to legendary thinkers like Peter Drucker. Recently, he authored "This is Strategy" and is a seminal voice in understanding and navigating complex systems. Episode Summary: Greg is joined by marketing visionary Seth Godin to explore the intricacies of strategy and systems thinking. They explore the nuances between strategy and systems, set within a modern context. Godin emphasizes the fundamental difference between strategy—a philosophy of becoming—and tactics, as well as the pivotal role systems play in shaping human behavior and business landscapes. Godin articulates the invisible forces of systems that govern both individual and organizational outcomes. Using examples from history and personal narratives, the discussion centers on how recognizing and navigating these systems can drive meaningful change and innovation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to refine their strategic thinking, whether in business, personal development, or broader societal contexts. Key Takeaways: Understanding Strategy and Systems: Strategy is a guiding philosophy, acting like a compass, whereas systems are the underlying forces shaping behaviors and outcomes. Invisible Systems' Influence: Identifying and understanding invisible systems can enable strategic action and transformation in various aspects of life and business. Triangular Relationships in Systems: Relationships, including familial and professional, often exist in a triadic format, incorporating you, others, and an influencing system. Empowerment through Systems Thinking: Recognition of systems provides a framework for empowerment and the potential to become a linchpin within an organization. Internal Systems Impact: Personal narratives and subconscious systems derived from family and schooling can profoundly affect individual potential and decision-making. Notable Quotes: "Strategy is a philosophy of becoming. It's your way of thinking about who you seek to serve and the change you seek to make." - Seth Godin "Systems don't like to change, and we are part of a system, but if we use the system, we can change the system." - Seth Godin "These stories that we engage in are well grooved and they become part of our inter system, the internal one." - Seth Godin Resources: Seth's Blog: Seth's Blog Seth's Book: This is Strategy Follow Seth on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn Affiliate links are used where appropriate. We earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Greg! Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
Seth Godin shares insightful stories and perspectives to help us think strategically and create meaningful change in a complex world. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The mindset that makes you indispensable 2) Why to embrace that you're an impostor 3) Three questions to ask with every project Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1004 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT SETH — Seth Godin is the author of 22 books that have been bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He's also the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, online seminars that have transformed the work of thousands of people. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. You might be familiar with his books Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip and Purple Cow. His book, This Is Marketing, was an instant bestseller around the world. The newest book, The Practice, is out at the end of 2020 and is already a bestseller. His newest project is leading a worldwide group of volunteers creating The Carbon Almanac. In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth has founded several companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing “seth” into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. His podcast is in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide. In 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame. More than 20,000 people have taken the powerful Akimbo workshops he founded, including thealtMBA and The Marketing Seminar. • Book: This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans (website) • Book: The Practice: Shipping Creative Work • Website: Seths.blog — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield • Book: Dune by Frank Herbert — THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/beawesome • Lingoda. Visit try.lingoda.com/Awesome and save up to 20% off your sign up fee! Plus, get an extra $25 off with the code AWESOME • Jenni Kayne. Use the code AWESOME15 to get 15% off your order!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com My books: Welcome to Management - https://amzn.to/3XWyZAH The Pursuit of Excellence - https://amzn.to/4eX9vtP The Score That Matters - https://amzn.to/3zPub7Z Seth Godin is the author of 21 international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about work and art. They have been translated into 38 languages. His breakthrough books include Purple Cow, Tribes, The Dip, Linchpin, and his latest book is called This is Strategy. He writes one of the most popular daily blogs in the world and has given 5 TED talks. He is the founder of the altMBA, and the former VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo! Notes: "If you want word of mouth, you have to create something remarkable, and that means it's worthy of remark." The elegant path is the most useful way forward. “My neighbor is a barefoot runner. He glides without apparent effort.” Elegance is simplicity, efficiency, and effectiveness. Dorothy and Her Crew. How did Dorothy persuade the Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow to join her on the trip to see the Wizard? Did she make a case about how much she missed home? No. She created the conditions where the others could get what they wanted by joining her. Seeing Strategy Clearly. Strategy is a flexible plan that guides us as we seek to create a change. It helps us make decisions over time while working within a system. Low-Hanging Fruit Isn't. It's all been picked. The easy, direct, obvious paths are unlikely to get you the results you're working so hard to obtain. In fact, these paths are probably a trap. Seth, at one point, got 800 rejection letters. Have to keep going... "I wouldn't call Steve Ballmer a good leader." An example of Seth making a difference... He went to Kenya and talked with 60 people who started a book club based on his book Linchpin. "They decided to be leaders." Make decisions in the moment: Examine the issue Get feedback Look for patterns "Taste is knowing what the market wants before it knows it." Rick Rubin Reality distortion field Johnny Cash "What do you think?" "Objections are your friends." What are the commonalities among leaders with whom Seth has worked and who have sustained excellence? They are all different, but the one thing they have in common is they all have chosen to be leaders. And that means that they are here to make a change happen. Management doesn't just exist. It was invented. When you race to the bottom, You see people as resources, not as people. Questions That Lead To Strategies. 84 questions. They'll force you to think through your strategy. By answering them, you'll be better prepared to make a difference… And make a ruckus. Some of them: Who is this project for? What is my timeline? What systems would need to change for my project to succeed? Where will I cause tension? What resistance should I anticipate? Where is the empathy? What asset would transform my project? What can I learn from comparable projects? Is the change I'm making contagious? Can I make it easier for others to decide? How can I design for network effects? What are common objections I expect to encounter?