Posts by David Shriner-Cahn

“You can ask how theology and finance can mix, for me it’s about changing the lives of people … it’s about making the world a better place.”

Bill Dost is more than just a brilliant entrepreneur; he’s also an impassioned philanthropist and theologian whose company stands for making great social impact and bettering the lives of small businesses. Today he reveals how he conquered failure and how his faith inspires him to help smaller entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The importance of finding a balance between your work life and your personal life.
• Why you learn more from your failures than your successes.
• How to control what you can, let go of what you can’t, and seek strong, targeted help in times of crisis.
• The connections between theology and finance.
• Why Bill believes the financial industry has the power to end the cycle of poverty.
• The struggles between marriage and entrepreneurship.
• How to define what success means to you.

Rev. Dr. K. Bill Dost, an entrepreneur with interests in a variety of fields, got his start in the Asset Finance field over 18 years ago working for Fidelity Leasing. In the year 2000 in Canada he started D&D Leasing to service the entrepreneurial segment of the SME field and expanded into the UK in 2009 when he opened D&D Leasing UK Ltd. He sits on a number of boards including the Finance and Lease Association, Asset Finance Professionals Association and the Toronto Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization where he was the 2013-2014 President and served on the Canadian Conference Committee.

Today he serves on the Canadian Regional Council. A Fellow of the Leasing Foundation, Director for the FLA and AF-PA, he believes it is not enough to simply run a finance company successfully but that one must give back into their community both in their own business and outside of it as well, to that end he not only serves on various committees but also holds an annual charity event to raise awareness and funds for small and often unknown charities. Among other degrees he holds a Doctorate of Theology and an MBA in Human Resource Management.

Learn more about Bill on LinkedIn, danddleasing.com, and Twitter.

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“You have to step into your consumer’s head. What is it that the consumer needs to know to feel that this is the product for them? So rather than what the product does, it’s how what it does benefits the consumer.”

Donna Fullerton credits a childhood love of curiosity for leading her into an incredible career in qualitative research. With an extensive background in advertising, her expertise lies in communicating directly with consumers and identifying their behaviors and motivations. Today, Donna discusses why probing the minds of the consumer is the only way to grow a successful business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why “brand connection” is how most consumers make their decisions.
• The best methods for uncovering the consumer mindset.
• The consumer’s major motivations for purchasing goods and services.
• The indispensible value of digital focus groups and face-to-face interactions with your customers.
• Why social media is now part of the marketplace and its contribution to consumer behaviors.
• How smaller companies can keep up with bigger budgets and resources.

Donna Fullerton’s roots are in the world of advertising, where she developed a passion for qualitative research, a commitment to consumer advocacy and building collaborative client relationships. Her focus is on helping marketers effectively leverage their brand strengths, achieve meaningful brand differentiation and optimize business decision-making.

By applying her extensive toolkit of skills – diverse category experience, innovative and traditional techniques, communications effectiveness, creative problem solving, leadership development and coaching – Donna is able to uncover the deepest levels of consumer motivation. She has Advanced Degrees and Executive Certifications in Marketing/Strategic Marketing Management Business and recently added personal development author (The Freedom Zone: Your Gateway to Love, Liberty and Happiness) to her list of accomplishments.

Learn more about Donna on LinkedIn, dmfcominc.com, New-Take and thefreedomzone.com.

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“You need to be able to once in a while stop and put your head up, and look around and see where you’re going … and I think this is where most small businesses fail, there’s no plan.”

Jeff Mehl takes us on his fascinating journey from registered nurse to two-time business owner and entrepreneur. Today, he discusses his three fundamental rules for building a successful business and how to find the best insight from the places you’d least expect.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• His three principles of success.
• Why the craziest notions can lead to brilliant business decisions.
• How offering free services can build your business and raise your retention rates.
• Why you need a long-term plan that transcends finances and numbers.
• The value of seeking outside perspectives to identify your blind spots.

Jeff Mehl and his wife Valerie are both Registered Nurses. After working as nurses for a number of years, they decided to start their first business, which they closed in 2009 after 22 years. From that experience, Jeff learned two important principles: 1) Your business should support your lifestyle, not become a lifestyle, and 2) Be content with what you have, whether a little or a lot, because there are no guarantees in life!

In 2006, Jeff and Valerie founded Daybreak Virtual Staffing with a mission to provide clients the kind of support they lacked in their previous business. Jeff is a passionate entrepreneur and business owner. He describes his entrepreneurial journey as “a really great ride!”

Learn more about Jeff on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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“Change is hard. Making the change that is necessary to scale your business is difficult. It’s not difficult in the classic sense, but it’s difficult personally. Deep down we really have to change our mindset, change our focus.”

Frank Bria is all about tipping the scales. By embracing change and creating a scalable business, Frank teaches entrepreneurs how to transform their small companies into profit powerhouses. Today he reveals the pivotal epiphany that led him to create a scalable (and successful) business that aligned with his personal priorities.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The four keys of scale and how to use them to grow your business.
• His “law of metamorphosis” and how changing your mindset is vital to taking major steps forward.
• Why micromanagement will prevent you from succeeding.
• How to shift a personality-based business to a scalable one.
• Why you need to fire yourself and delegate tasks.
• Why you need outside perspectives to break through barriers.

Frank Bria helps consultants and coaches turn their 6-figure practice into a 7-figure business. As author of the book Scale, Frank knows what it takes to turn a small business into a thriving enterprise. He has built and sold tech start ups and consulted for the largest international corporations in high tech, finance, and retail on 4 continents. He now takes what he used to teach to the Fortune 500 and applies it to entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. He is a 3-time author, speaker, strategist, and host of the podcast, The 6 to 7 Figures Show.

Learn more about Frank on frankbria.com, LinkedIn, and follow him on Twitter.

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“You have to remind yourself that your self is great … there’s no reason why you’re not. Each person is unique and special and significant in their own way. Even though we might be one in seven billion the number that matters is that you’re one.”

Orly Wahba is changing the world one kind conversation at a time. She is an educator, activist, entrepreneur and Founder of Life Vest Inside, whose mission is to empower people with kindness and to help us recognize the exceptional potential inside all of us. Today she explains why embracing our inner resources, believing in ourselves and spreading kindness will save the world.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why every project is a “work in progress” and how to push through the uncertainties.
• The significance of empowerment, kindness and believing in yourself.
• How to address fears and take the necessary (and scary) steps forward in life and in business.
• How reminding yourself why you’re doing it will lead to how you’ll do it.
• How authenticity will connect you to others.
• Why listening and receiving information is just as important as giving it.
• Why hardships will lead to revelations and strength.
• How to fight through adversity to achieve your dreams.

Orly Wahba is an educator, entrepreneur and community activist who is passionate about inspiring and motivating people to make the world a kinder place. In 2011, Orly founded Life Vest Inside, a non-profit organization with a mission to empower and unite the world with kindness. Through Life Vest Inside, Orly encourages people to embrace the incredible power of giving and recognize that in times of hardship, kindness (like a life vest) keeps the world afloat.

LVI gained international acclaim when Orly’s award-winning film Kindness Boomerang went viral, receiving over 30 million views and counting, and eventually landed her a spot to speak at TED2013 on the magic of kindness.

Orly began her career in kindness as a Middle School educator empowering children to embrace unity, build their self-value, and use their power to influence the world for good. As her kindness community grows by the thousands, more people are experiencing the addictiveness in the giving of kindness.

Learn more about Orly at Life Vest Inside, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, the Dance For Kindness website and watch her TED Talk.

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“The one underlying thread … is a killer message, and you will never connect with people on the level that you need to without a message that resonates with the audience you are trying to reach.”

Susan Lindner is the master of making incredible connections. As a former anthropologist and healthcare advocate for AIDS/HIV patients, Susan understands the significance of a powerful message and having it resonate with different audiences. Today she discusses her journey from healthcare consultant to marketing mogul and why having a fundamental understanding of your message is the key to making incredible connections with any audience.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why a killer message is needed to resonate with the audience you’re trying to reach.
• How to adapt your message to different markets by understanding the core needs of your audience.
• Why it’s critical to know why you do what you do and how to use it to create your message.
• The importance of doing what feels right and why every team member must share the same company values.
• Why seeking out customers who share your values and vision is the key to easy (and successful) marketing.
• Marketing strategies that create a “shared partnership” with your customers.

Susan Lindner believes that incredible connections can change the world. As the CEO and Founder of Emerging Media, an award-winning PR · Marketing · Branding · Social Media agency, she develops breakthrough strategies that connect her clients to the right media, communities, influencers and prospects. According to her clients, Susan is relentless in pursuing the game-changing opportunities that achieve her clients’ business goals.

Prior to her 10 years in marketing, Susan worked on women’s health issues as an epidemiologist and anthropologist in HIV/AIDS at the Centers for Disease Control/NYC Department of Health, as a researcher in New York’s top hospitals and as a consultant and social development officer with international non-profits in the US and Southeast Asia.

Learn more about Susan at Emerging Media, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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“I see people in leadership roles or in various positions that are simply not achieving what they would like to, and a lot of times it’s simply not being aware of things they could do differently to be more effective.”

Meredith Bell is an impassioned and impressive entrepreneur with a successful career spanning more than 25 years. As President and Co-Founder of Performance Support Systems, she specializes in leadership development and talent management. Today she discusses why strengthening communication, building relationships and creating a “coaching culture” will make you a remarkable leader.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How to develop positive, dynamic and longstanding relationships.
• Why having “shared values” will lead to long-term, productive partnerships.
• How to create a successful team that includes a dispersed workforce.
• Why performance coaching is critical in managing your team and growing your business.
• Why committing to your team’s development will make you a superior leader.
• The importance of modeling the behaviors you want to see in your team.
• Tools for developing and managing an effective workforce.

Meredith Bell has been an entrepreneur since 1982. She’s the President and co-founder of Performance Support Systems, a software company based in Virginia. Her company’s assessment and development tools are used by consultants, coaches and HR professionals around the globe to improve leadership development and talent management. The goal: help people become stronger and more effective at work and in life.

One of Meredith’s strengths is forming long-term relationships based on mutual trust and respect. She’s worked with her two business partners for 25 years and many of her company’s resellers and clients have been loyal users of their products for 20 years.

Learn more about Meredith on LinkedIn, her blog and follow her on Twitter.

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“Is this an opportunity? And if this is an opportunity, is saying yes to it going to lead to more opportunity or more possibility?”

Michael Roderick, CEO of Small Pond Enterprises, is all about the connections. As a former Broadway producer and current specialist in relationship design, he’s the go-to guy for advice on procuring investors, networking, and why asking (and answering) the right questions will get you through any door.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Successful methods for transitioning careers.
• Why connecting with people on the rise will have more benefits than connecting with those at the top.
• Why offering to give first will open doors and afford you the best opportunities.
• How doing your research and making new relationships will bring you fulfillment and profitability.

When Michael went from high school teacher to Broadway producer in under two years, and people started to ask him how he managed it. Michael began his career as a high school English teacher before producing Off Broadway and Broadway productions. This combination of experience in the arts and entrepreneurship led to Michael starting an arts incubator program so he could teach more artists about building and growing their own businesses (PLAE).

Eventually, he decided to develop a workshop on networking, which grew into a full-time consulting practice that is now Small Pond Enterprises. Michael took a short break to work as the V.P. of Operations and as a Director of Business Development for an NYC Ed. Tech. Startup. Most recently, Michael founded The Connecting Connectors Conference (ConnectorCon) and Relationship Adventure Day.

Learn more about Michael at Small Pond Enterprises, ConnectorCon, Relationship Adventure Day and you can follow him on Twitter.

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“The more I can facilitate how things can work better between entrepreneurs and team members, help with leadership formats and structures and conversations, that makes me really happy.”

Nobody delivers passion and energy to team growth like award winning team coach Shannon Waller, one of the earliest members of the now wildly successful Strategic Coach program. Here she discusses her winning strategies for team building, overcoming and embracing differences, and achieving goals by building and collaborating with a thriving workforce.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why assumptions about your team members can be detrimental to achieving your goals.
• How understanding and appreciating each team member’s individuality will increase productivity.
• Why knowing yourself and your work patterns will help you work better with others.
• Why diversity among team members is essential for success.
• The importance of finding the right fit players for your team and knowing when it’s just not working.
• Tools to unite and inspire a decentralized workforce.
• How to overcome complacency in your business and within your team.
• The Four C System and how it will take you and your team to the next level of growth. 

Shannon Waller is a passionate expert on entrepreneurial teams. With Strategic Coach® since 1991, she’s the creator of The Entrepreneurial Team® Program, a parallel program for team members of Coach clients that focuses on fostering a winning Entrepreneurial Attitude in its participants. A key decision-maker at Strategic Coach and a recognized entrepreneurial team expert, Shannon is a sought-after speaker, presenter, and coach.

She’s a Kolbe Certified* Consultant, and the 2015 recipient of the Kolbe Professional Award for individual leadership in building conative excellence. She also co-authored the bestselling book Unique Ability®: Creating The Life You Want and, most recently, wrote The Team Success Handbook, a wealth of her distilled teamwork wisdom, with 12 action- able strategies for working successfully in any entrepreneurial company.

Learn more about Shannon at The Team Success Handbook, Strategic Coach, on Linkedin, and follow her on Twitter.

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“Early in my career I learned what I don’t want to do and also figured that if I was going to work this hard, I’d rather do it for myself and than for someone else. So I have a history now of building things from scratch and it’s really fun, certainly not easy, in fact it’s much harder than working for someone use, but it’s meaningful and for me it’s very fulfilling.”

Jordan Eisenberg combined his passion for “building things from scratch” with his education in mathematics and engineering to become an inventor and pioneer in the pharmaceutical industry. Today he discusses why following your passions and surrounding yourself with the right team members will lead to a successful business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How his education in problem solving led him to a successful career in entrepreneurship.
• The importance of operating outside of the box.
• How his personal experience and need led him to finding (and filling) a gap in the market.
• Tips on overcoming obstacles and naysayers.
• The importance of having the right team at each stage of your business and why those teams may (and should) change with each phase.
• Tips for creating the perfect team and ideal working environment.
• The critical differences between a leader and a manager.

Jordan Eisenberg is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder/CEO of UrgentRx®. UrgentRx produces a line of fast-acting, portable OTC medications that provide right now relief for today’s busy, on-the-go consumer. The brand has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Fortune, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and Forbes.

Prior to founding UrgentRx, Jordan launched The Buddy Network, a consumer web and mobile app business that launched a top iPhone app. Jordan has also invented and licensed a medical device to a major manufacturer.

While working alongside entrepreneur Maurice Kanbar (founder of Skyy Vodka and holder of more than 35 patents), Jordan was instrumental in the production, launch, and strategy implementation of several consumer product businesses.

Eisenberg sits on several boards, including venture capital fund Lazarus Investment Partners, The Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Denver, as well as several startup companies.

Learn more about Jordan on LinkedIn, UrgentRx and follow him on Twitter.

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“When your employees realize that the company is going to help them achieve what they want in their life, then the employees help the company achieve what they want to achieve. It’s a complete win-win scenario.”

Mary Miller transformed her “people problem” into a powerful and world-renowned management method – the Dream Manager program. Today she discusses why prioritizing your people’s ambitions is the key ingredient in building a happy and hardworking community and a thriving business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The importance of quality of life (for leaders and employees).
• How to attract, acquire and retain talent differently from your competitors.
• Why you need to focus on the deeper, immediate problems in order to build a future for your business.
• How to conquer the “people problem” to achieve your business goals.
• Why the Dream Manager program works, and how it became a best selling book and resource.
• Why investing in your employees’ dreams and happiness is more important than investing in your own.
• How to consistently take on unfamiliar actions when lacking confidence.

Mary Miller is CEO of the award winning JANCOA Janitorial Services in Cincinnati, Ohio. JANCOA created The Dream Manager program, made popular by the New York Times best selling book, The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly. The program has encouraged people around the world to achieve their dreams. Mary is known for her positive outlook and desire to help others realize their uniqueness and personal power.

In addition to running a business with over 400 full-time employees, Mary is an Associate Coach with Strategic Coach working with entrepreneurs at quarterly workshops. Two of Mary’s recent achievements include being a YWCA Career Woman of Achievement honoree in 2013 and a 2015 Enterprising Women of the Year honoree.

Learn more about Mary on LinkedIn, JANCOA and follow her on Twitter.

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“The more research you do, the better you understand your customers … the more of a foundation you’re going to have going forward.”

Alex Harris (web designer, author, and ecommerce master) knows a thing or two about design that will convert traffic and increase profits. Today he teaches us the importance of diving deep into the minds of your customers, and why doing so will increase your conversion rates and boost your business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why it’s critical to design for your customer and not for yourself.
• Tips and tools for understanding the minds (and needs) of your customers.
• Solutions for solving customer problems while simultaneously increasing business growth.
• Why customer research is key.
• How to grow your audience before they become customers.

Alex Harris works with businesses to design and develop high-converting lead generation, subscription, and e-commerce stores. Since 2000, he has created over one hundred e-commerce stores. He also specializes in conversion rate optimization, and designing landing pages. While many web designers only focus on great-looking websites, Alex focuses on helping websites increase their online sales, generate more leads, and make more money.

Learn more about Alex at AlexDesigns.com and enjoy this free course Alex has to offer.

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