“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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“When you humanize your communication you begin to resurface into your own authenticity.”

Today Lou Solomon (CEO and Founder of Interact) enlightens us on the subject of storytelling and how it’s the driving force behind discovering our authentic selves. According to Solomon, communication is king, and only with authenticity can you truly connect with others and build meaningful relationships.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How to recognize your authentic purpose and why it’s important.
• How to uncover your authentic story.
• The definition of the what is concept, how to use it, and how it’s vital to building relationships and effective communication.
• Why effective communication is the key in creating lasting relationships.
• Current trends in communicating with virtual employees.
• Why meeting face-to-face is the ideal way to create meaningful relationships.
• How personal storytelling will lead to your authenticity and allow you to connect with others.
• The importance of authenticity in business.

Lou Solomon is CEO and founder of Interact, a firm that helps develop individuals into strong communicators by using their own stories, experiences, and authentic style.

The firm does customized development for organizations like Wells Fargo, Duke Energy and Bank of America, in addition to offering open enrollment courses to the public.

Lou is a member of the adjunct faculty at the McColl School of Business and co-founder of the school’s annual TWIST Conference. Her latest research in collaboration with Harris Interactive sheds light on the impact of poor communication on employees.

Lou’s articles have been published by HBR.com, Entrepreneur.com, CEO.com, the American Management Association, Leadership Essentials, SUCCESS Magazine and more. In 2009 Lou released her first book, Say Something Real.

Learn more about Lou at Interact Studio, and follow her on Twitter.

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“We sought about to change the way patients could access and diagnosis skin cancer care in Australia.”

Paul Elmslie sought out to create low cost and quick action centers for skin cancer patients in Australia and succeeded. He discusses how his company fought through adversity to make a difference, how it positively impacted patients and the healthcare system, and how he now manages a global business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why believing in your purpose will help you innovate around established systems.
• How to overcome political barriers and obstacles.
• How to navigate through critical shift points in order to make change.
• Why education and international events are important for innovation.
• How to navigate the healthcare industry in multiple countries.
• What a culture book is and why it’s important.
• What it takes to manage a team located across numerous countries.

Paul has almost 20 years work experience with a focus on skin cancer. He was a pioneer of the original sub-specialized skin cancer business model and has established 18 clinics between 1999 and 2006 in Australia. He also owns the Redcliffe Skin Cancer Centre, a highly respected referral center and training facility in Queensland, Australia.

In 2006, Paul founded HealthCert, a global organization dedicated to changing the lives of doctors and patients in the area of skin cancer medicine. The company operates in five countries through three distinct business units: Medical and Patient Education, Skin Cancer Clinics and TeleDermatology Services. With more than 6,500 GPs trained across 15 countries, Paul has taken HealthCert to become the world’s leading provider of primary care skin cancer diagnosis, treatment and education.

More recently, Paul set up The Skin Cancer Institute, a global multidisciplinary not-for-profit focusing on research, education and a better availability and delivery of diagnosis and treatment in skin cancer medicine.

Learn more about Paul at HealthCert, on Linkedin, follow him on Twitter.

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“You get to travel and see things and experience things that aren’t available for the everyday person.”

Having begun her entrepreneurial path at the ripe age of 23, Luella Whalan has acquired a discerning catalogue of business know-how. Today, she shares her experiences, best business practices, and expert advice, so that budding entrepreneurs can succeed in what she considers a rewarding and exciting career.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The opportunities exclusive to entrepreurship.
• The distinction between opportunity and freedom.
• Knowing when your employees are outgrowing your company, how to give them tools to succeed, and knowing when and how to have that conversation.
• Why the employees on the ground will provide the most insight into your business.
• Tips to develop a rapport with all members of your staff.
• The big challenges of entrepreneurship.
• The importance of social media.
• The dangers of complacency.
• How peer support is vital in growing your business.
• Pivotal resources for success.

Luella Whalan is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, leader and strategist. As an entrepreneur she has grown and successfully exited a multi-million dollar company. She has made a number of mistakes along the way but has learned to implement and execute strong strategies designed to make sure she never repeats them.

Luella is about to open her newest venture, SpaceMax Self Storage, a new chain of self-storage facilities in Auckland, New Zealand.

Learn more about Luella at Linkedin, her blog and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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“I don’t think there’s a human being walking the earth who doesn’t have something to say or a belief in something that they cannot say with a degree of passion or commitment that will engage a specific audience.”

As a former opera singer, Ruth Sherman has an unparalleled understanding of the power of voice. Now the smash author of Speakrets, she discusses her transformation from singer to renowned speech and media coach. Ruth explains how fusing your voice and expertise will command the room and take your business (and personal brand) to the next level.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why public speaking is an essential marketing tool.
• Tips on how leaders can make improvements to their presentation skills.
• The importance of commanding the room and dismissing the fluff mentality.
• Why everyone has a unique charisma that can be compelling and powerful.
• Why public speaking benefits every kind of business.
• How to find your voice and enhance your presentation skills.

Ruth Sherman, M.A., is a strategic communications consultant focusing on preparing business leaders, celebrities, politicians and entrepreneurs to leverage critical public communication opportunities. This includes the development and delivery of keynote speeches, webcasts, investor presentations, road shows, awards presentations, political campaigns, media contact, and video.

Her clients hail from the A-list of international business, entertainment and fashion, including Apple, JP Morgan (NY, London, Frankfurt), Timex Group, Deloitte, Istithmar (Dubai), Universal/Focus Features, Paramount, Dualstar Entertainment Group, Versace International, Lionsgate, and many other major companies. Three of her clients have won Oscars and one the Pulitzer Prize. She is also the author of the McGraw-Hill book Get Them To See It Your Way, Right Away: How to Persuade Anyone of Anything.

Learn more about Ruth at ruthsherman.com and LinkedIn, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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“Life is going to happen. Obstacles must be jumped over to get where you want to go.”

The Daily Boost’s Scott Smith unveils how overcoming life’s obstacles led to his profound journey from radio “shock jock” to motivational master. Smith affirms that mindset is everything, and that only with razor sharp focus will you succeed in business, entrepreneurship, and life in general.

In today’s episode, you’ll discover:

• The difference between obstacles and constraints, and how to deal with them.
• Knowing how your message will keep you (and your market) happy.
• Your personal why and how understanding it will lead you to success and the ability to overcome obstacles.
• How to take life’s challenges and energizing them.
• Common business roadblocks.
• How sharing your story can better yourself, your business, and those around you.
• How perception changes with age.
• The importance of focus, and how it can boost your business and better your life.

As one of the first to enter the world of podcasting in 2006, Scott Smith is now a podcast legend, having created The Daily Boost – the most downloaded self-help podcast in the history of iTunes. Scott has produced more than 8,000 podcast episodes, and accumulated more than 14 million total downloads.

Scott started professional life as a successful radio personality and spent a lifetime as a radio, television, and voiceover talent. He’s been heard in every major market, all broadcast networks, and 10,000 commercials, including Universal Studios Florida, Disney Cruise Lines, House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe’, Red Lobster, Chrysler, Motorola, Olive Garden, Time Life Books and more.

Moving into the world of Personal Development in 2006 with The Daily Boost, Scott was one of the first people to monetize a podcast utilizing a unique creation and production model that embraced storytelling and timeless marketing technique. The result is a thriving coaching, consulting and speaking business. After 14 millions downloads, Scott has become a go-to expert for daily Personal Development, and his expertise in creating a successful podcast.

Learn more about Scott at Motivation To Move, Linkedin and follow him on Facebook.

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On the latest episode of Smashing the Plateau, Ryan Neal talks about being an attorney with a strong background in entrepreneurship. He puts a large emphasis on building entrepreneurs and leaders within his businesses. He has learned that his team members tend to stick around a lot longer as a result.

Ryan says you have to view yourself differently as you grow as a business leader. You also have to “operationalize” your processes so you don’t become stunted by your own products. Ryan knows it takes a lot of hard work to become a successful entrepreneur and leader, which is why he says entrepreneurs don’t look for the job with the lowest stress level or the job that will let us clock out early and watch TV.

Ryan also discusses:

• How he started with a music background
• The difference between an employee mindset and an entrepreneur mindset
• Owning a business that focuses on building entrepreneurs
• Whether you can be an entrepreneur and work a 40 hour work week?
• Hitting multiple levels of plateaus as a growing company
• Thinking about yourself differently as you grow as a business leader

Ryan Neal is a seasoned investor, director, and adviser with over ten years of experience collaborating with the owners and managers of private companies to increase their value. With a focus and specialty in high-tech and custom manufacturing environments, Ryan brings a diverse skill set and the passion to affect long lasting strategic partnerships with companies and individuals. Ryan is an attorney with a strong background in entrepreneurship. His legal and business experience is focused on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and business and real estate law. Prior to founding Pendulum Investments, Ryan served as managing partner at Wilson & Neal, PLLC, a boutique law firm focusing on business law and real estate. He received his Juris Doctorate (cum laude) and Masters in Business Administration from Seattle University. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife and their child.

Learn more about Ryan at penduluminv.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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On today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, JV Crum talks about building a business that makes a difference in the world. During the “first stage” of capitalism, he says we measured success by the amount of money we made. Now, we’re in the “second stage” of capitalism, which means we focus on making a difference in the world, feeling fulfilled in our careers, and providing value for everyone involved. Ultimately, this can make a business much more successful.

In the 21st century, money isn’t the only aspect of our career we value. We look for meaning and we want to make the world a better place. JV argues the Recession was a wake up call for a lot of people—they realized they weren’t fulfilled or happy.

JV Crum also discusses:

• Having a “conscious business” as the future of capitalism.
• “Conscious entrepreneurship” and “second stage capitalism.”
• Providing value for everyone involved with your business.
• How the Recession made a lot of people aware of their unhappiness. We realized we want something more.
• How our greatest fulfillment doesn’t come from something we get for ourselves. It comes from contributing and collaborating with other people.
• Building a business that makes a difference in the world.

JV Crum III is a business coach who helps entrepreneurs grow six and seven figure conscious businesses. He is a speaker, marketing expert, Huffington Post columnist, best-selling author of Conscious Millionaire: Grow Your Business by Making a Difference. He also hosts the top-ranking Conscious Millionaire family of podcasts. JV is the Founder of ConsciousMillionaire.com, a global coaching and wealth product business. He holds an MBA, JD, Masters in Psychology, and has built and sold multiple successful companies. He is also the Founder/Director of the non-profit Conscious World Foundation, which trains young people between the ages of 18-25 to become the next generation of conscious leaders worldwide.

Learn more about JV Crum at consciousmillionairepodcast.com, consciousmillionaire.com, consciousworld.org, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.

You can also find him at NPR, Entrepreneur on Fire, The Huffington Post, Eventual Millionaire, and Mixergy.

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Phyllis Weiss Haserot is a passionate champion of improving relations among the generations in the workplace to help organizations solve sensitive intergenerational challenges that can hinder productivity, client relationships, knowledge transfer, succession planning, and business development results. She is President of Practice Development Counsel, a business development and organizational effectiveness consulting and coaching firm she founded over 25 years ago and founder of Cross-Generational Conversation Day.

Phyllis also discusses:

• Improving relationships among different generations in the workplace
• How people impact one another because of different worldviews
• Why internal relationships can cause successful companies to hit plateaus
• How differences among generations can impact a company’s growth
• Some of the hardest tasks we have to accomplish in business today

Our latest guest Phyllis Haserot is the author of two books on marketing for law firms – The Rainmaking Machine (2014) and The Marketer’s Handbook Of Tips & Checklists (both Thomson Reuters). She has a book in progress entitled You Can’t Google it!: The Compelling Case for Cross-Generational Conversation at Work.Learn more about Phyllis at pdcounsel.com, nextgeneration-nextdestination.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

Learn more about Phyllis at pdcounsel.com, nextgeneration-nextdestination.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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On today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, Nina Kaufman shares her expertise, not just as an ordinary business attorney, but as a small business champion. Yes, business owners want to make more money. But Nina explains there is more to the equation when scaling your business.

Nina also discusses:

• Why growing a business isn’t just about making money
• The most important elements in getting a business to scale
• How business has changed for the new generation
• Important thought leaders to follow
• What to do when the people who are close to you become naysayers
• How to know when to delegate, especially when you don’t have a lot of capital

Because growing a business isn’t just about making good money. That’s a lesson that small business champion and Entrepreneur.com legal expert Nina Kaufman learned the hard way. She’s no ordinary business attorney. Forbes Magazine calls her “One of the 25 Most Influential Women Tweeting about Entrepreneurship.” The U.S. Small Business Administration named her their regional Women in Business Champion of the Year. As a trusted thought leader, she reaches over 2 million readers each month on Entrepreneur.com. She’s also a Mets fan by marriage and former stand-up comic.

To her dismay, Nina found out that the business she’d spent over 10 years pouring her heart, soul, and savings into wasn’t worth a dime when she was ready to move on. The moral of the story? It’s really all about creating freedom. Having options. Building a life.

She has a particular passion for showing owners of service businesses how to stop feeling stuck in their business and wean it off of needing you all the time. You can get a free copy of her special report on “10 Steps to a Million Dollar Business” at BusinessExponential.com/podreport.

Learn more about Nina at askthebusinesslawyer.com, businessexponential.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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On today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, Nik Parks, MicroFame Media Evangelist, talks about the fear that is associated with reaching out to people who are further along in their career. Time and time again, Nik has been pleasantly surprised by the generosity of people. He also talks about being ahead of your time as a business leader but not “too ahead of your time”.

Nik also discusses:

• What it means to be a brand evangelist
• What it means to be a “creative thinker”
• Do financial incentives work?
• There’s fear associated with reaching out to people who are further along in their career. Why?
• Being ahead of your time but not “too ahead of your time”
• The connection between comedy and entrepreneurship

Nik Parks is the MicroFame Media Evangelist, writer, content marketer, and was the co-founder of Launching Creative. His writing has appeared in Forbes, The Muse, Chelsea Krost, and he has made an appearance on The #AskGaryVee Show.

Learn more about Nik at microfamemedia.com, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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On today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, Katherine Hosie shares her story of becoming a coach for men who are suffering from a midlife crisis. She explains that we often don’t even realize when we’re burned out, and a midlife crisis can last much longer than a couple of years if it isn’t addressed. We can attain a lot of success, according to Katherine, by following the rules and behaving within certain roles for the first half of our career. However, we eventually reach a point where that doesn’t work anymore.

Katherine also discusses:

• How personal and business roles are often intertwined
• When Katherine woke up at age 38 and said, “What happened? How did I get stuck in this routine?”
• Most people don’t realize when they’re burned out
• A midlife crisis can last for years and years
• Round 2 is often better than round 1

Katherine Hosie has been coaching full-time for over 12 years. She works primarily with professional men that are bored, frustrated, and feeling ‘stuck’ in their roles, supporting them in finding a new and exciting direction to which they can devote the second half of their lives.

She has a Master of Science degree in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney and was formerly President, International Coach Federation, Australasia, leading over 1,300 coaches across two countries.

Katherine is Australian, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and works virtually with clients around the world.

Learn more about Katherine at powerhouse-coaching.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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Today’s guest, Jen Begeal, shares some fascinating insight from her experience with both tech startups and the entertainment industry including Current TV, Umami TV, Verizon Fios, Toyota, A&E, Universal Studios and Lionsgate. Jen says people have to know your business’s story. If they don’t know who you are and what you do, you won’t get the client, you won’t get the funding your business needs, or you won’t have enough sales.

Jen also discusses:

• Entrepreneurs always have ideas so it’s common to have a lot of side businesses
• Why businesses need storytelling in order to be successful
• The difficulty of finding the story of your business (who are you and what do you do?)
• How to realize when your demographic changes
• When a client offers you a full time position

Jen is a digital marketing director with a history of developing robust marketing solutions for blue chip brands, entertainment properties and technology start-ups. Previous clients include Current TV, Umami TV, Verizon Fios, Toyota, A&E, Universal Studios and Lionsgate. In 2010 Jen co-founded the New York chapter of StoryCode, a not-for-profit cross-platform incubator. Recently she partnered with StoryForward, an LA based organization dedicated to exploring the future of storytelling and entertainment. Jen is also an adjunct professor in the New Media department at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York where she teaches digital marketing.

Learn more about Jen at jlbhartmedia.com, her blog, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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In today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, I have the honor of interviewing Ruth Messinger, President of the American Jewish World Service. The American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to promote human rights and end poverty in the developing world. AJWS advances the health and rights of women, girls and LGBT people; promotes civil and political rights; defends access to food, land and livelihoods; and aids communities in the aftermath of disasters. AJWS pursues lasting change by supporting grassroots and global human rights organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and by mobilizing supporters in the U.S. to advocate for global justice. Working together, the AJWS community strives to build a more just and equitable world.

Ruth also discusses:

• Social justice work/giving back
• How AJWS was virtually invisible when Ruth was brought on board
• The challenges of scaling an organization
• Becoming more clear about what you are as an organization in order to maintain and expand
• Learning how to listen as a leader
• What it means to be a leader in 2015

Ruth W. Messinger is president of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the world’s leading Jewish organization working to end poverty and realize human rights in the developing world. Ruth came to AJWS in 1998, after a 20-year career in public service in New York City. As a leading activist for human rights around the globe, Ruth lectures widely and holds leadership roles in the faith-based advocacy arena. She currently sits on the State Department’s Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group and co-chairs the Sub-Working Group on Social Justice. Ruth has been honored by many national Jewish organizations and has been named on lists of the world’s most influential Jews and religious leaders by The Jewish Daily Forward, The Jerusalem Post and The Huffington Post.

Learn more about Ruth at ajws.org, or follow her on Linkedin and Twitter.

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Professional life coach Alexander Hamilton Dunlop joins Smashing the Plateau this week to discuss the nexus of personal growth and business success. Drawing from his own experiences, from Wall Street consultant to shaman’s apprentice, Alexander covers a wide range of topics from emotional intelligence to improving health and well-being, all geared towards helping people find clarity and achieve personal and entrepreneurial growth. In his own business, he employs a deck of cards and a bit of math to help clients better understand themselves and ultimately find direction by acknowledging weakness and leveraging strengths. Unconventional though that may be, he describes how no matter where you find clarity, it is a vital step to smashing business’s (and life’s) plateaus.

Alexander also discusses:

• Finding meaning in the work you do – or finding meaningful work
• Identifying patterns to help reduce wasted energy and stress
• Establishing diet and lifestyle as a basis for peak performance
• Developing power, inner drive, and authority to advance to higher tiers

Alexander is a professional life coach. He is also a successful entrepreneur, having launched a holistic health center in Manhattan. He has worked as a minister and been trained as a Roman Catholic priest; he was also initiated as a Swami while living in India and has apprenticed in the Shamanic traditions. He is a Harvard graduate and former Wall Street Consultant.

Learn more about Alexander’s business at www.alexanderhamiltondunlop.com, or visit his non-profit foundation, Spiritual Nutrition, at spiritualnutrition.org, for free gifts and numerology reports.

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This week on Smashing the Plateau, dive into the world of content marketing with successful entrepreneur Michael Schein. As marketing has increasingly shifted to online platforms, businesses face incessant demand to constantly update content and keep up with the wild pace of the internet. Start-ups can be especially disadvantaged by this expectation due to limited staff, time, and resources. Michael saw this obstacle as an opportunity rather than stumbling block. His business, MicroFame Media, creates templates for content updates that make the job easier and more efficient for businesses of all sizes. Systematizing your marketing strategy – and other straightforward elements of your business – can be the stepping stone to spending more time and energy on new directions and next big things.

Michael also discusses:

• Becoming an authority in your field and gaining acknowledgement
• Recognizing ‘shift-points’ and forging progress
• Using media to gain exposure with other business leaders
• How to differentiate your business in today’s climate

Michael is the CEO of MicroFame Media, a content marketing and strategy agency that implements systems and processes for turning organizations into recognized authorities in their fields for the purpose of generating new business. He has created or facilitated the production of content for companies such as eBay, LinkedIn, Abila, TESLA, Inc., SEER Interactive, Interiors by Steven G., Magento, Vitalyst, Intellect, Arise Virtual Solutions, and Citrix, to name a few. He writes a weekly column for Inc and is a contributor to Fortune and Huffington Post.

Find out more about Michael’s business or get in touch him directly at microfamemedia.com.

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Theresa Fette describes her professional journey as a fortuitous meeting of luck and planning. After earning four degrees and working in law, she took over a failing trust company and transformed the shaky business to an asset management powerhouse. On this week’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, Theresa shares her experience in transitioning from entrepreneurship to building a legacy. She discusses how both traditional and non-traditional business practices played a part in her success, the challenges she has faced, and how to maintain business stability while remaining open to change and improvements.

Theresa also discusses:

• Making fans early on by removing road blocks for others
• The importance of developing the ‘likeability factor’
• Interpreting metrics and employing decision matrices
• Handling difficult or unrealistic client requests
• Engendering a positive office culture while managing and motivating employees
• Defining one year success goals for new hires

Theresa is a founder and CEO of Provident Trust Group, a leading self-directed retirement plan administrator and alternative-asset custodian. In six years, she increased the organization’s assets under custody from $300M to more than $5B. Fortune honored her as one of its most powerful women entrepreneurs for 2012.

Theresa is also a board member of Venovate Holdings, Inc. She holds a LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, a Juris Doctorate, a Masters in Accounting, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, each from the University of Arkansas.

Connect with Theresa on LinkedIn; learn more about her business at trustprovident.com.

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Jason Treu joins Smashing the Plateau this week to discuss the power of relationships in the business world and how to develop the relationship-building skill sets that will be key to your success. He emphasizes how essential skills such as building rapport, likeability, and trust, can be developed by anyone at any point in their career. Jason outlines specific steps to build self-confidence, become engaging and influential, and form relationships with the right people. His philosophy that everything we accomplish depends on other people inspires him to invest in the people around him, and to seek out accomplices, mentors, or simply those with common ground to move his business passion forward.

He also discusses:

• Creating a business people want to work for
• Forming habits around strong communication
• Following your passions and the importance of making your journey measurable
• The value of building relationships with busy people

Jason is a top business coach, speaker and author. He’s a leading expert on social engineering, influence, persuasion, and networking. At the heart of his strategy is the understanding that people and your relationships are your true “wealth.”

Jason’s bestselling book, Social Wealth, a how-to-guide on building personal and professional relationships, has sold more than 30,000 copies and has been #1 in four business and self-help categories. Jason is also a frequent contributor to publications such as Brazen Careerist, Thought Catalog, Under30 CEO, KillerStartups, and others.

Learn more about Jason and his business coaching live at BeExtraordinary.tv, on Twitter (@jasontreu), on LinkedIn (JasonTreu), or at his website.

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Entrepreneur and Sprinklr Global Evangelist Ekaterina Walter joins Smashing the Plateau this week with insider advice on moving your business forward and keeping up with today’s ever-advancing consumer. In this discussion, she highlights the importance of leveraging community and self-learning to achieve these ends. She also discusses self-empowerment and utilizing technology to learn more about your passions, take on new roles and initiatives, and form partnerships with those who share your interests. She describes how having self-confidence, and recognizing your surrounding support systems, are crucial to building networks, taking your business to the next level, and building success.

Ekaterina also discusses:

• Empowering employees where it matters in efficient ways that lead to growth
• Online opportunities for self-education
• Customer engagement with your brand on the ground and through social media
• How to create consumer experiences in a consistent fashion

Ekaterina has led strategic and marketing innovation for Fortune 500 brands such as Intel and Accenture, and she currently serves as Global Evangelist at Sprinklr. She has written for Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., Huffington Post, and Entrepreneur, and has appeared on CNBC, ABC, NBC, FOX News, Forbes, TechCrunch, CNN, WSJ, Inc., and published the best-selling Think Like Zuck in 2013.

She received a 2013 Marketer of the Year honor (SoMe Awards), and was named #3 on The Forbes 2014 World Top 40 Social Marketing Talent. In June 2014, Fortune magazine included her in the list of the most impactful business people on social media.

Learn more about Ekaterina at www.ekaterinawalter.com or follow her on Twitter (@Ekaterina).

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With two successful entrepreneurial endeavors under her belt, CEO and owner of LunaMetrics Robbin Steif is well-positioned to describe some of the common challenges facing entrepreneurs today. One challenge she discusses here is creating a balance between keeping full control over the quality of your product vs. empowering other team members to be actors and decision-makers. Robbin points out the importance of finding the right people for the job, but also of becoming aware of your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Because you are a critical component of your business, taking the time to put work into yourself is likely to translate into business success.

She also discusses:

• Using data analytics to become a more efficient and cost-effective business
• Leaving the corporate track to become an entrepreneur
• Overcoming personal issues to advance business
• When to release a product on the market
• The pros and cons of relying on resumes when hiring new talent

Robbin is CEO and owner of LunaMetrics, an Internet consulting firm that recently celebrated its tenth birthday, and is now an Inc. 5000 company. LunaMetrics is her second entrepreneurial endeavor. Steif is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School. She was awarded a 2013 BusinessWomen First award from the Pittsburgh Business Times, as well as a 2014 Diamond Award for leadership.

Learn more about Robbin Steif on LinkedIn; connect with her on Twitter (@robbinsteif); and learn more about LunaMetrics at www.lunametrics.com.

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Nicole Valentine is passionate about opportunities to grow, improve, and mature a business. In this interview, the founder of Synergy Business Development describes how, from entrepreneurship to exit strategy, the successful business leader always asks “What’s next?” Nicole also touches on the importance of adjusting your product to keep up with the ever-changing human experience, and creating a simple-yet-complete business model that can be transformed and shared. She describes how these forward-thinking strategies can help you move forward throughout a career, from start-up to successful exit.

She also discusses:

• Creating a vibrant culture and community feeling by bringing together different perspectives
• Making a habit out of being creative
• Keeping teams engaged, strong, and productive through clear communication and strong leadership
• Considering alternatives to getting an idea to market, such as forming partnerships and utilizing existing channels

Valentine worked as a Wall Street Corporate M&A Lawyer before launching her New York-based consultancy Synergy Business Development. Synergy advises startup CEOs, strategy teams at Fortune 500 Companies, and social entrepreneurs in business development and strategic growth. Last year, Nicole launched a business strategy app, Winly, to deliver her business growth methodology to entrepreneurs around the world. Available on IOS Apple iPad and iPhone, Winly (www.winlyapp.com) includes a suite of Playbooks to inspire teams to win by making strategy a daily exercise.

Learn more about Nicole at www.synergybusinessonline.com, or follow her on Linkedin (www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevalentinemoody) and Twitter (@ValentineSaid).

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Even by entrepreneurial standards, Chuck Ealey has had a diverse career—or three careers: football star, businessman, and community leader. After a record-setting college football career in Toledo—which, he says, he viewed as a vehicle to getting his degree in business economics—Chuck was passed over in the NFL draft in an era when black quarterbacks were almost unheard-of. Leaving the NFL, he went on to an outstanding career as a quarterback with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the Toronto Argonauts (he describes how “I went to Canada to live the American dream and play quarterback.”)

After leaving football, Chuck went on to establish himself as a leader in the financial industry. Today, he is a Certified Financial Planner, radio host, and has been the Mississauga Regional Director for the Investors Group Financial Services Inc. since 1987. Here, he talks about his career and the things that have made him successful:

• Handling transitions and difficult periods by moving “one play at a time, one day at a time”—and focusing on what you can control in the moment
• The importance of fully focusing on an endpoint or outcome, and having a plan to reach it
• The potential communication gaps in inter-generational communication in the workplace, and why “we can’t just overlook it and say ‘do it like me’”
• Mentoring younger workers in the workplace, and emphasizing long-term goals over short-term gratification.

Chuck is a recipient of the Herb Carnegie Community Leadership Award and the African Canadian Achievement Sports Award. He is the founder of the Chuck Ealey Foundation and the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga.

Learn more about Chuck at www.chuckealeyspeaks.com or at www.undefeatedspirit.com.

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