How To Find The Right Advisor
When it comes to finding an advisor, many of us never ask the right questions. We’re too focused on the right-now when we should be concentrating on the long-term. Here’s where a good mentor comes in. A seasoned advisor not only prepares you for the long haul, they’re willing to take on the uncomfortable conversations. The right mentor always puts honesty first – even when it’s against their own self-interest. Today we’re digging deeper into this advisor role and showing you exactly what to look for when trying to find the right one.
Topics include:
- When eccentric exercises get out of control.
- Why you need a good mix of resources.
- Not feeling threatened by honest feedback.
- The dangers of catchphrases.
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The One Thing Every Solopreneur Needs to Succeed
Tanya Alvarez has a mission to help solo entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. How is she doing it? By providing the one thing solopreneurs need most…a community. At OwnersUP, Tanya has built the peer group superhighway – an online platform where leaders band together to solve problems, hold each other accountable, and get their businesses growing. Today she discusses why every leader needs the community mindset in order to burst through their blind spots. She also talks about the value of focusing on achievements rather than outcomes.
Topics include:
- Three actions every entrepreneur should take immediately.
- How to find the help you need when you need it.
- Embracing frameworks and letting go of resistance.
- Why you need to examine your wellbeing.
Tanya Alvarez is the Co-Founder and CEO of OwnersUP, a platform that advances solopreneurs’ businesses through accountability, goal setting, and community. Over the past fifteen years, Tanya has accumulated marketing experience with international & US companies including Nike and US Olympics. She started her first company at the age of 25 and grew it to be a profitable business from credit card debt to over $1mm in gross revenue the first year. Since then she has founded, bootstrapped, sold and invested in several companies.
Learn more about Tanya at LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Coaches and Cult Leaders
Is there a difference between a coach and a cult leader? There should be, but in many cases, the lines between the two have become dangerously blurred. We should want – and have – a mentor who is confident and authoritative…but there should be some kind of give and take. As it stands, coaches have way too much power, and we need to take it back.
Today David shows us how to spot the differences between coach and cult leader, and explains why the best way to break free from cult leaders is to surround ourselves with a freethinking and supportive community.
Topics include:
- When eccentric exercises get out of control.
- Why you need a good mix of resources.
- Not feeling threatened by honest feedback.
- The dangers of catchphrases.
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The Real Power of Technology With Gabriel Neuman
As a digital strategist and mechanical engineer, Gabriel Neuman explores how software and hardware can work in tandem to solve tough problems businesses face in the 21st Century. In today’s episode, Gabriel explains why facing your setbacks head on is the only way to propel your career forward, and he demonstrates why technology (and education) have the power to help businesses and societies achieve miraculous things.
Topics Include:
- Why you should always assume you have a problem.
- How to address a bruised ego.
- His humanitarian efforts in Mexico.
- Why diagnostics are critical to every business.
Gabriel Neuman is a digital strategist who helps people solve business problems by implementing technology. His specialties include helping retailers understand what is really happening in their stores by providing them with invaluable data (think Google Analytics for their stores), or helping IT guys solve problems without rolling out a truck. Gabriel also loves to share what he’s learned from his life as an entrepreneur.
Learn more about Gabriel at gabrielneuman.com, fondeadores.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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Your Business Coach Is Not Your Therapist
The life of an entrepreneur is often a lonely one. So it’s understandable that many business owners want their coaches to solve their personal and professional problems in one fell swoop. While these issues are, in fact, often intertwined, taking your personal matters to coaches isn’t the wisest idea. Today we’re discussing the major differences between business coaches and therapists, so you’ll know exactly who to confide in when business – and life – gets tough.
We discuss:
- Why treatment plans are not strategies.
- Confidentiality and regulations.
- Issues of personal (and professional) fulfillment.
- Corporate psychologists vs. coaches.
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Storytelling vs. Boring Telling
Rochelle Lisner had a rewarding career as a corporate travel agent for more than twenty years. But when the industry suddenly changed, she was faced with two options – stay the course, or transform her talents into something new. Rochelle took a chance, and now she’s a celebrated business growth specialist who uses the power of storytelling to revamp her clients’ brands into profitable powerhouses. Today she discusses why getting out of your comfort zone is essential to success, and why – and how – you can mold any industry through the power of narrative.
Topics include:
- What to do when there’s trouble ahead in your industry.
- Getting over your personal shyness.
- Why isolation kills success.
- How storytelling can heighten your marketing.
- Finding success that is true to your mission.
Rochelle Lisner’s mission is and has always been to energize, inspire and educate business owners to achieve productivity, profit and peace. Since 2007, she has helped corporations and entrepreneurs resolve their sales, internal communications and business growth headaches. With 20 years of success in the challenging world of corporate travel, Rochelle brings an interactive and practical approach to sales and creating scalability for her clients. Her deep understanding of how to communicate powerfully in a “noisy” world (both internally and externally), helps business owners create the consistent and powerful verbal branding they need for greater focus and profits.
Learn more about Rochelle at dynamicbusinessgrowth.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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How To Spot An Awful Business Coach
If you’ve learned anything from our series this season, it’s that most business coaches are unfit for the job. That said, there are some out there who are fully equipped to take on your problems…you just have to know what to look for.
Today we’re focusing on how to distinguish good coaches from bad, so you can build a healthy relationship with an educated, experienced and ethical partner who will place your needs above their own.
We discuss…
- How to define expectations and measure them.
- Figuring out when you’re the problem.
- What lack of progress looks like (and how to avoid it).
- Pricing models, length of engagement and feedback.
- Why you should be wary of testimonials.
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How and Why to Build a Micro-Multinational Company
Emmett “Corky” Kaericher’s love affair for computers began in 1985. At the age of 15, he was unpacking computers and installing software for a computer store in the suburbs of Washington D.C. One day, a man in a suit that he didn’t recognize entered when all of the sales reps were away from the store for training. Corky sold his first five computers to the man and later delivered them (with the help of someone who was old enough to drive the van) to the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Today, Corky talks about the rise of micro-multinational companies and how they are now able to compete with Fortune 500 companies. Listen as he explains his “mercenary army” philosophy.
Topics include:
- Are virtual assistants reliable?
- How to overcome internal resistance to “outsiders”
- The importance of working in multiple time zones
Emmett “Corky” Kaericher works to help many of the world’s best companies achieve their business goals from his off-grid, mountain top office in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of western North Carolina. He owns cats, dogs, horses and mules and lives life firmly on his own terms.
Learn more about Corky on LinkedIn.
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Why The Franchise Model Doesn’t Work (And What To Do Instead)
Many coaches are all charm and no substance. We buy into their personalities and charisma, but deep down they have very little to offer. They rely heavily on the franchise model of coaching – selling one-size-fits-all solutions to the masses. It sounds great, but getting to core of our problems is far more nuanced than any cookie cutter quick fix. Today David explains why you should ditch this ineffective franchise approach, and offers advice on what to do instead.
Topics include:
- Why a coach should have a quality community instead of a big name.
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You’re Probably Sabotaging Yourself (Here’s How to Stop It)
Angus Nelson is the host of the Up In Your Business podcast, which has helped countless businesspeople improve their careers by improving themselves. On today’s episode, Angus reveals the story of how losing his nonprofit organization (despite working 60 to 80 hours a week), his marriage, and “his soul” taught him how to make the kind of change that matters…and much more.
Topics include:
- Why it’s important to realize you aren’t alone in facing your obstacles
- How most of your business challenges are internal
- Why people don’t buy your product or service, they buy your person
Angus works with executives of the world’s largest companies as a speaker, coach, and
facilitator. He’s spoken at the headquarters of massive companies such as Walmart, Whole Foods, Coke, Adobe, Hallmark, and Swisscom. He’s also the annual MC for the Caribbean’s ATech Conference in Aruba. His podcast Up In Your Business, was recognized on Inc.com as a Top 20 Business Podcast to listen to in 2015.
Featured in Aol.com, Huffington Post, VentureBeat, SocialFresh.com, and the big three major television networks, Angus has also been awarded a Top 5% speaker by Monster.com and “Volunteer of the Year, Wausau, WI”. His book, “Love’s Compass: How Do You Recover After Lost Relationship”, earned him the title of “Most Promising New Writer 2010”.
Learn more about Angus at angusnelson.com, Twitter, and Facebook. Be sure to check out his free eBook.
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Building Trust In Yourself, The Customer, And The Community With Chris Marr
Chris Marr is a trailblazer of content marketing. His organization – The Content Marketing Academy – is the UK’s largest membership organization of its kind, and it’s this energetic troop that inspires him to take the concept of community and content marketing itself to new heights.
In this episode, Chris not only debunks the biggest content marketing myths, he explains why establishing trust is the ticket to building communities – and businesses – that will lead to both emotional and financial victories.
Topics include:
- Why live events get you closer to your customer (and each other).
- How to add more value to your community.
- Adding scalability to a community-based business.
- Why every community needs a growth plan (and how to do it).
- How community can help us gain a better quality of life.
Chris Marr is a teacher and student of content marketing. He is the Founder and driving force behind the Content Marketing Academy, and his pioneering work has helped countless organizations grow through content marketing. His drive comes from a desire to help people break free from the world of interruption marketing.
Through workshops, events, coaching, conferences and, of course, a ton of freely available content, Chris has become a respected Content Marketing educator. His passion for content marketing is only surpassed by one thing – his family. He has a wonderful wife named Andrea and together they made another human – Spencer, who was the perfect Christmas present in 2015.
Learn more about Chris at LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Turning Your Community Into Revenue
Over the past several weeks, we’ve shown you how a dynamic community is the unsung hero of every success story. We’ve explored all the personal benefits a hardworking and thought-provoking group has to offer…but what we haven’t talked about is money.
Business is still business after all, and we need our collaborations to be more than just emotionally rewarding. So today we’re focusing on the financial gains that only shared experiences can provide.
We discuss…
- How a community improves your product or service.
- Helping each other break out of comfort zones.
- How to figure out which business models work best…together.
- Using your time efficiently to get better financial results.
- The new “shared economy” and why it’s important.
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Structuring Your Community
Structure is the backbone of every community. A poorly structured group is an ineffective group…so you need to have solid frameworks in place if you want to make anything happen. More importantly, you need to have energetic, proactive and caring leaders who can build and support the community each and every day.
We discuss…
- Good timekeeping, active participation and accountability.
- Defining (and assigning) leadership roles.
- How to measure success.
- Welcoming and acclimating new members.
- What needs to happen in between meetings.
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Why Values Matter So Much With Dan Kuschell
After undergoing emergency surgery in 2007, Dan Kuschell’s outlook on life, love, and business did a full 180. In the process of re-crafting his life, he came to realize that all the things that mattered to him most have one thing in common…they resonated deeply with his personal values. Now this profound new perspective resonates in everything he does, including his current leadership role with The Genius Network.
According to Dan, whether you want to cultivate a community, take on a new business venture, or just reconnect with family, you need to know exactly what you want, and let your values evolve from there.
Topics include:
- Why there’s a huge difference between what’s important and what’s most important (and how to figure it out).
- Why most people take the wrong approach when joining a peer group.
- The three values every community needs.
Dan Kuschell is a husband, dad, serial entrepreneur and angel investor. He’s built 11 companies – his first in 1992 starting in direct mail helping health clubs build and grow their businesses. After selling 2 of his companies in 2009 following a health scare, Dan now spends his time working with fun projects, including helping Joe Polish and Genius Network grow.
Learn more about Dan at geniusnetworkevents.com, growthtofreedom.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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How To Pick The Right People
So in spite of your best efforts you still haven’t found the support circle that works for you. In that case, it’s probably time to get out there and assemble one of your own. Picking the right people is a demanding endeavor, and transforming those people into a thoughtful and spirited community, well…that’s even harder. Luckily, David has all the know-how you could ever need on getting a successful group off the ground, and today he divulges it all.
We discuss…
- Defining (and enforcing) cultural norms.
- Why you need a narrow focus.
- Communication and facilitation.
- How to define your group’s needs (and finding the ones to make them happen).
- Creating awareness and rewarding your members.
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Ted Coiné On Creativity, Community, and Business
Ted Coiné is a “collector of fascinating people.” He is so energized by collaboration that he established OPEN (Ordinary People | Extraordinary Networking) – where the world’s top minds come together to make remarkable things happen.
On his second appearance on Smashing The Plateau, this bestselling author (and four-time CEO) demonstrates why having a thriving network of friends, colleagues, and even opposites will transform great leaders – and businesses – into something even greater.
Listen to discover…
- Why finding the right community is a hands-on experience.
- The balancing act between organizational structure and creativity.
- Identifying your networking goals.
- Why drawing on the expertise of others is absolutely invaluable.
Ted Coiné is an Inc. and Forbes top ranked speaker, leadership expert, and social media influencer. His latest venture is The Extraordinary Network at OPENfor.business, which brings together authors and bloggers, speakers and consultants, C-level leaders and entrepreneurs to provide mutual support. To date, EN has a combined following of 5 million business leaders.
Learn more about Ted at OPENfor.business, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Getting Serious About Finding (Or Creating) The Right Community
If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you know by now that truly individual success simply doesn’t exist. Winners need the support of a community. That said, not every community is the right community for you.
If your support circle is not helping you get to the root of your deepest problems, then you’re not in the right place. In today’s episode, David illustrates what a valuable community really looks like, how to find one, and what to do when it’s time to break out and create one of your own.
Topics include:
- Looking to businesses that inspire you.
- Redefining diversity (and why it’s essential).
- Communities vs. mastermind groups.
- Working towards collective and individual goals.
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Leveling Up Your Business With Tony Rose
In his second appearance on Smashing The Plateau, this bestselling author and expert on the art of entrepreneurship explains why the key to personal growth – and an impressive business – is to simply stop getting in your own way.
Listen to discover:
- Why passive income doesn’t (and can’t) work for everybody.
- The qualities of a great coach (and how to find one).
- How community experiences can revolutionize your business and your perspective.
- What it takes for professional service businesses to make it today.
Tony A. Rose is a founding partner of Rose, Snyder & Jacobs, a partnership of certified public accountants. For more than 35 years his firm has provided a full-range of assurance, tax, and consulting services for small public, closely held, and family-owned businesses, with a specialty in high-net-worth individuals and their families. He is a Legacy Wealth Coach® and a Certified Kolbe Method Consultant®, as well as the author of Say Hello to the Elephants and Five Eyes on the Fence.
Learn more about Tony at LinkedIn, Twitter, and his blog.
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Everything You Know About Passive Income Is Wrong
Creating a business that generates passive income has become the Holy Grail for many entrepreneurs. Everyone from coaches to bloggers is trying to cash in in a cottage industry that revolves around selling advice on how the make this happen. Unfortunately, the assumptions about what this means is almost always wrong – not to mention potentially dangerous. Today we put that bad advice to rest and show you how to really build a successful self-running business.
Topics include:
- A new way of looking at making money while you sleep.
- The problem with selling information products.
- What you can learn from Weight Watchers about building an empire
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Dan Sullivan Talks About What Makes Planning Work in Business
Dan Sullivan has personally transformed the lives and careers of thousands of entrepreneurs. A big part of his success has come from honing the ability to distinguish between effective planning and planning that actually increases complexity. In this episode, Dan dives deep into this distinction. He also discusses why community plays such a huge role in both the planning process and the success of every entrepreneur.
Topics include…
- Why entrepreneurs are more like entertainers than corporate executives.
- The 90-Day plan (and why it works).
- Why a community is the perfect source for inspiration.
- Coaching that actually works (and the kind you should avoid).
- The five-part learning process that builds great communities.
Dan Sullivan is the Co-Founder and Creator of The Strategic Coach Program. Since its inception in 1988, this lifetime focusing program has helped over 16,000 accomplished entrepreneurs reach new heights of success and happiness. A visionary, an innovator, and a gifted conceptual thinker, Dan has over 35 years experience as a highly regarded speaker, consultant, strategic planner, and coach to entrepreneurial individuals and groups.
Learn more about Dan at strategiccoach.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Overcoming The Tyranny of Planning
We all know the importance of a solid plan, but there comes a point when planning becomes overplanning. Between information overload and bad advice from so-called experts, many of us make plans we can’t execute or we overwhelm ourselves with too many. So how can we escape the tyranny of planning while still mapping out what’s necessary to achieve our goals?
Listen to find out.
Today we cover:
- The two endgames every plan should keep in mind.
- Why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your customers for feedback.
- Mini-plans and manifestos.
- How to make plans you can implement now.
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What It Really Means To Win With Rick Duris
Star copywriter Rick Duris rarely makes public appearances (he would much rather be helping from behind the scenes), but today he returns to Smashing The Plateau with some of the most profound insight we’ve ever encountered. Not only does Rick reveal what’s really behind the coaching industry curtain, he questions why business leaders are so focused on their competition that they forget to concentrate on the wisdom they’re picking up along the way.
Topics include:
- The dangers of viewing business as a zero sum game.
- Coach worthiness and client readiness.
- The power of reciprocity.
- Why content has become the new commercial.
Rick Duris is the Founder of copyranger.com, and is one of the top “pay-for-performance” copywriters in the country. Behind the scenes, he’s responsible for some of the biggest Internet marketing campaigns and celebrities.
Learn more about Rick on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Winners and Losers
Here’s one version of the story…
In business, there are two types of people—winners and losers. There are leaders worth emulating, and there are those who are duly brushed aside. It’s simple, ruthless, and well…capitalism.
Really?
What makes a winner anyway? Don’t we all have different aspirations and principles? Money and acclaim can’t be the only ways to define success. Winning – like success itself – isn’t so absolute. And even for those to whom money is the ultimate goal – is playing the zero sum game truly the best way to get what you want?
It’s time to start focusing on more nuanced (and collaborative) ways to win, and today David shows you how.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How to avoid harmful shortcuts (and tricky psychology).
- The “do as I do” ideology and why it never works.
- Why success is all about the small pivots.
- The powerful connection between competition and community.
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Why You’re Probably Reading Business Books All Wrong
Maisha Walker has been working in digital media before most people had a modem, and she’s still breaking new ground. As Founder of Message Medium and as a Contributing Editor for Inc. Magazine, she always needs to be on the lookout for solutions to challenging problems. Many of the answers she finds comes from books, but she learned long ago that not all business books are created equal. In fact, choosing the wrong material can cause more headaches than they solve.
Maisha discusses…
- Her journey into programming at age 9 (and how it’s given her a unique perspective as both a digital marketer and leader).
- Why most businesses can’t tackle all digital platforms (and why that’s okay).
- The difference between effective and ineffective readers.
- Why having people in advisory roles is important to distinguishing and applying content.
Maisha Walker is the Founder & President of Message Medium, a digital marketing agency that helps successful brands harness the power of digital to achieve aggressive growth. She has toured the country with companies like Microsoft Bing, JP Morgan Chase, and Capital One, and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise, Fox News and NBC News. Her featured column for Inc. Magazine became their highest trafficked blog in less than one year, and has been quoted and featured by Business Week, Guy Kawasaki (the former editor of Entrepreneur magazine), the American Marketing Association and even Perez Hilton.
Learn more about Maisha at messagemedium.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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The Problem With Business Books
There are millions of business books out there, and they all claim to have the solutions to our most frustrating problems. It seems that every self-styled author-expert harps on some variation of the same themes – hard work, hustle, and discipline. What they often don’t tell you is how useless many of these ideas are if you don’t know how to implement them.
In this episode, we discuss…
- Where real business breakthroughs come from
- The importance of measurement (how to determine the right method for you).
- Why we fall for the same tricks every time.
- How business leaders should approach learning.
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