Pushing Your Business Forward With Henry Lopez
In today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, seasoned entrepreneur and podcast host Henry Lopez talks about overcoming the challenges every leader faces when wanting to push their businesses forward. He also discusses the importance of having frank conversations up front, shares why he thinks of life as a series of chapters, and explains why entrepreneurs should want to keep creating as long as they can.
We discuss…
- The importance of developing and implementing systems (no matter how small)
- Enjoying the process of building something new
- His memo of understanding (and why it works)
- How to get through those in-between phases
Henry Lopez has over 34 years of diverse business experience, including successful careers in the information technology industry, sales, sales training and business ownership. He has been part of 10 different business ventures since his first business purchase in 1991. He is currently the Co-Founder of Levante Business Group, which is dedicated to helping people start, run and grow their small business. Henry is the Co-Host of The How of Business Podcast, and is also the co-owner of iTopIt (a self-serve frozen yogurt restaurant in Colorado Springs), L3 Destinations (a Travel Agency co-founded with his wife), and in the process of developing a car wash location in the Denver area.
Learn more about Henry at LinkedIn and Twitter.
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From Civil Engineer To Restaurant Tech Entrepreneur
In today’s episode of Smashing The Plateau, Brian Duncan reveals why (and how) he moved from civil engineering and consulting to restaurant tech entrepreneurship. He also discusses why his love for human interaction and hospitality inspires his work, and explores how his software Chowly is transforming the food industry.
We discuss…
- The challenges of taking on industry pain points
- Having a true understanding of growth
- Taking a proactive approach to fear
- Surrounding yourself with a good support system and scheduling time for yourself
Brian Duncan has over 12 years in the restaurant industry, having begun his career in college working every job from dishwasher to server. After graduating from Purdue University, Brian went on to work in food and beverage consulting, focusing on international chains and consumer products manufacturing for companies such as Hilton and Revolution Foods. During his time consulting, Brian focused on creating efficiencies by utilizing technology. His background paved the way to multiple tech startups including Chowly. Brian now serves as co-founder and board member for Chowly Inc. and is primarily focused on business development, sales and marketing.
Learn more about Brian at Chowly Inc. and LinkedIn.
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The Real Power of Persistence With Tony Grebmeier
Tony Grebmeier is the host of The Tony G Show– a candid podcast that guides entrepreneurs on their journeys to personal growth. In today’s episode, Tony opens up about his struggles with drug addiction, and reveals the transformational decisions that helped him rebuild his life and his business. He also talks about abandoning ego, the power of accountability, and knocking on doors until the right person answers.
Topics include:
- Why you should never stop asking questions
- Building an accountability community
- The brain dump exercise
- Needs vs. wants
- How to develop an abundance mentality
Tony Grebmeier is a builder. He is most known for building a multi-million dollar business with his childhood friends, but Tony’s real mission in life is to build a community where struggling entrepreneurs can achieve their dreams – no matter their pasts. He started his first business – the neighborhood baseball card trading post – out of his mom’s garage at the age of 14. By the time he was 18, he had held 16 jobs and was only fired once – for giving his brother an ice cream cone.
In 1996, Tony launched his first online business in Silicon Valley, a Web traffic and marketing company, which eventually turned into his first supplement company. In 2001, he went on to build his second supplement company, ShipOffers, with two of his childhood best friends, Doug Roberts and Gil Gerstein. Fifteen years later, ShipOffers is an eight-figure business that has been an Inc. 5000 Company for the past three years in a row.
Tony launched his podcast, The Tony G Show in 2015, bringing together his loves for business, radio and life. Each week, Tony welcomes a new guest to not only share to-the-point, actionable tips for business success, but also to share their journey in an authentic and transparent way. You can learn more about Tony at LinkedIn.
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From Junk Hauler To CEO With Josh Cohen
Today on Smashing The Plateau, Junkluggers Founder and CEO Josh Cohen tells us how he went from handing out homemade flyers to running a multi-million dollar business. He also talks about overcoming the pitfalls of young entrepreneurship, and reveals why shifting your mindset and changing your leadership style can have the greatest impact on your business.
Topics include:
- Building a great work culture
- Understanding (and responding to) your customers’ emotions
- How to motivate people in labor-driven businesses
- Learning to focus on the positive and not the negative
- The importance of business communities
Josh Cohen is the Founder, CEO and the heart and soul of The Junkluggers. He started The Junkluggers out of his mother’s Dodge Durango in Trumbull, CT when he was 21, and has since grown the company into a multi-state franchised operation. He utilized his degree from the University of Connecticut in Business Administration and his ambition, passion for the environment, marketing savvy, and interest in building a strong company culture to help elevate the company to the level it is at today.
Josh began with a firm vision of what he wanted The Junkluggers to become and continues to see it through every step of the way, never looking back. In his personal life, Josh enjoys spending time with his family and friends, including his wife, Peggy, their twins Jackson and Fiona, and their very own chief canine officer, Otis. He also loves outdoor sports and adventure, traveling, playing basketball, and office parties.
Learn more about Josh at LinkedIn, Esquire,Smart Hustle Magazine, Business News Daily and Twitter.
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Connecting The Dots With David Gise
David Gise is a former personal trainer turned tech and social entrepreneur. As Managing Director of Centre for Social Innovation, David helps nonprofits and social leaders build the right relationships so they can make a serious – and global – impact. Today we explore what he calls connecting the dots, and how his ideas can help entrepreneurs overcome obstacles. He also talks about trusting your instincts, making your ideas tangible, and the real power of collaboration.
We discuss…
- Why illogical steps can lead to something positive
- Looking for mutually beneficial opportunities
- The importance of co-working spaces
- Why social innovation is always evolving (and what that means for business leaders)
David Gise connects the dots. For the first 18 years of his career, David connected people to healthy lifestyles as a personal trainer and managing partner in a health club. He then turned his attention to the tech world, where he connected new ideas to help solve new (and old) problems, launching four successful technology start-ups. From there, he connected his biggest dots yet – the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto with his hometown of New York City. By the time David’s done, there will be no more lonely dots – just a web of connections crisscrossing the world.
Learn more about Dave at nyc.socialinnovation.org, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Building An All-Star Millennial Workforce
Gillian Lynch is VP, Managing Director of Winsper – a modern marketing firm that helps clients develop their brands, grow a loyal customer base, and generate more revenue. Today Gillian reveals the single biggest mistake executives make when they’re feeling stuck. She also talks about finding innovation, avoiding complacency, and reveals what it takes to build a dynamic Millennial workforce.
Topics include:
- Learning from the brands you admire
- The importance of having a major and minor skillset
- Overcoming the challenges of having a diverse group of clients
- What to really look for in the hiring process
Gillian Lynch heads up account management for Winsper’s many diverse clients. From plasma cutters to strollers, sewing machines to software, Gillian gets jazzed to work with smart, curious people who want to advance and differentiate their business. She is Winsper’s resident foodie, dog enthusiast (ask about her dog, Corduroy if you ever need bonus points with her), and probably the only person who vehemently believes that yoga pants should never go out of style.
Connect with Gillian on LinkedIn and on Twitter.
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Seizing The Moment With Ed Wallace
In today’s episode, bestselling author and public speaker Ed Wallace reveals how his son’s skateboarding accident inspired him to ditch his career as a senior executive and follow his dreams. He talks about learning to seize the moment, why he’s a man who enjoys “the journey,” what it means to display worthy intent, and much more.
Topics include:
- Chasing that what’s next feeling
- Why you should allow yourself to enjoy success
- Making an appointment with yourself
- Where to find help when you’re transitioning
- How a cab driver influenced his books and became his mentor
Ed Wallace is President and Chief Relationship Officer of The Relational Capital Group. He consults with and speaks for corporations and associations across the globe with a client list that is a Who’s Who of Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of Fares to Friends, Creating Relational Capital, Business Relationships That Last, and his most recent The Relationship Engine. In addition, Ed is currently on the Executive Education faculty of Drexel’s LeBow College of Business and Villanova University’s Human Resources Master’s program.
Learn more about Ed at relationalcapitalgroup.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Bringing New Ideas To Life With Brian Honigman
In his second appearance on Smashing The Plateau, content marketer and social media consultant Brian Honigman reveals how (and why) executing new ideas in just three phases will take your business to new heights. He also talks about creating new value for loyal customers, how to find good advice from outside sources, and the importance of keeping yourself open to new options.
We discuss…
- Why (and how) the three phases work for every business
- Investing your time in different areas
- Creating new offers within existing services
- The power of honest feedback
- Not being afraid to try different platforms
Brian Honigman is the CEO of Honigman Media, a content marketing consultancy based in Philadelphia. Honigman Media works with established brands and growing startups to help them better tell their story and focus their marketing on the right goals and priorities. To date, Brian has spoken at and worked with The Weather Company, People Magazine, the United Nations, Thomson Reuters, NATO, Adknowledge, Amerisleep, Sumall and others.
He is a frequent contributing writer to the Next Web, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine and other publications. Brian is also an adjunct professor at New York University in the marketing department at the School of Professional Studies.
Learn more about Brian at brianhonigman.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Turning Your Podcast Into Profit
Whether he’s at the mic or consulting behind the scenes, Cliff Ravenscraft can transform any podcast into a moneymaking machine. Today he reveals how to turn a profit in the podcasting world and why his personal success is the culmination of stumbling blocks he’s faced throughout his career. He also discusses why success is a potential trap, and why you can’t let it stop you from taking new chances.
We discuss…
- Defining (and analyzing) metrics for success
- Avoiding stress and pain by turning to your peers
- Why your audience has the roadmap to advancement
- Creating impressive and valuable content
In December 2005, Cliff Ravenscraft, together with his wife, Stephanie, founded the Generally Speaking Production Network. Since then, he has produced over 3,300 podcast episodes devoted to entertainment, family, faith, business and technology. In December 2006, Cliff launched PodcastAnswerMan.com where he has since helped thousands of individuals and organizations launch successful podcasts through one-on-one consulting/coaching and through his Podcasting A to Z online training course. Clients who have worked with Cliff account for more than 50 of the top 100 business podcasts in iTunes.
Learn more about Cliff at LinkedIn and Twitter.
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