Archive 4: 2020-2023

976: Zenlytic: AI GPT Powered Business Intelligence with Colin Dougherty

October 15, 2023

Using innovative marketing ideas is very important in the current business landscape. It gives your business a competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace. Creative marketing can engage your target audience better, possibly leading to stronger customer loyalty. What’s more, it helps you adapt to changing consumer trends and technologies, keeping your brand up to date.

Colin Dougherty is the Director of Marketing at Zenlytic, a cutting-edge software company that offers businesses robust data insights that empower them to enhance decision-making and reach their objectives more effectively. His expertise in marketing allows him to craft highly effective campaigns that deliver substantial results. Today, Colin discusses his entrepreneurial career, the challenges of building a data-driven business, and the importance of consistent daily progress in achieving your goals.

Quotes

"Being consistent is the hard part, because you can do it every couple of weeks or every other week. But maintaining that consistency day in and day out is the real challenge." - Colin Dougherty

“Being curious is the biggest thing. It helps to be curious and open to new ideas.” - Colin Dougherty

“You either have to find a way or make one, but turning around and retreating is not an option.” - Colin Dougherty

Takeaways

05:06 Being open to new ideas and having conversations with people outside of your immediate circle can lead to valuable ideas and opportunities.

10:37 Defining clear business terms and creating a semantic layer is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data-driven decision-making.

14:18 Consistent daily progress is the key to tackling problems in your business, rather than relying on quick fixes.

15:12 Taking a pause to reflect on how far you've come is an important part of the entrepreneurial journey, as it can provide much-needed motivation and perspective.

19:58 Successful entrepreneurs often choose the "road less traveled," embracing a mindset of finding or making a way, rather than retreating in the face of challenges.

Resources

975: The Psychology of Sales and Negotiations: Build A Successful Scalable Business with Dropout Multi-Millionaire Brian Will

October 13, 2023

Building a successful business depends a lot on strategic approaches aimed at enhancing its overall value. Some strategies involve fostering a strong customer base through exceptional service and consistent quality of your products. Efficient operations and good financial management are also vital for stability and growth. Lastly, the ability to adapt in the face of market shifts and a skilled, motivated workforce are fundamental for long-term success.

Brian Will is an industry expert in sales and management consulting, as well as a best-selling author. He has written two books: "The Dropout Multimillionaire" and "No: The Psychology of Sales and Negotiation." Today, Brian talks about his passion for launching an executive CEO coaching business to help entrepreneurs scale and stabilize their companies, as well as the secrets to his success as a serial entrepreneur, including the importance of understanding your strengths and weaknesses, building a strong team, and planning for the worst-case scenario.

Quotes

"The secret to serial entrepreneurship is ADHD. I say that half-jokingly, but I also call ADHD my superpower." - Brian Will

“The first thing you need to do if you're going to start a business, or even if you have one that's not scaling, is to figure out who you are and aren't in the business. Too many people want to be a CEO, but they're not.” - Brian Will

“Every business evolves and yours must evolve too or eventually it will go away.” - Brian Will

Takeaways

03:32 Successful entrepreneurs need to understand their strengths and weaknesses and be willing to bring in others to fill in the gaps.

12:06 Allowing employees to make mistakes and learn from them is an investment in the long-term growth of the business.

17:01 Planning for the worst-case scenario and building up financial reserves is crucial for weathering unexpected challenges.

18:55 Evolving and adapting the business model over time is necessary for long-term success.

20:06 Seeking out mentors and coaches who have been in your shoes can accelerate your growth and help you avoid common pitfalls.

Resources

974: Modern Maid: From Corporate Grind to Cleaning Empire with Financial Freedom Entrepreneur Khari Harper

October 11, 2023

Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship is a tough move, marked by instability, financial risks, a steep learning curve, and the absence of traditional benefits; however, it can be immensely rewarding as individuals pursue their passions, aim for financial independence, and have the freedom to shape their own destiny.

Khari Harper is the CEO of Modern Maid, a cloud-based platform designed to help cleaning business owners streamline operations, enhance productivity, and foster growth. Whether your focus is residential or commercial cleaning services, their customizable software simplifies management through a user-friendly dashboard, making it the ideal solution for your unique business needs. Today, Khari shares his journey from corporate America to building a successful remote cleaning business, which he documented on social media. He stresses the importance of documenting your progress rather than just creating content, as it holds him accountable and allows him to leave a legacy for his son.

Quotes

"The more you give, the more you get in return." - Khari Harper

“Once you learn the frameworks of a business, you can create any business you want.” - Khari Harper

“The sooner you begin living the life you want, the longer you have to enjoy it.” - Khari Harper

Takeaways

00:42 Giving away knowledge for free is crucial in the current information-saturated landscape, as it builds trust and establishes the giver as an authority in their field.

03:52 Providing tools and frameworks to help others start their own businesses, rather than just teaching a specific business model, can empower them to create their desired lifestyle.

07:23 Documenting one's progress on social media can hold an entrepreneur accountable, provide clarity, and leave a lasting legacy.

11:31 Overcoming mental blocks and self-doubt is essential for entrepreneurial success, and can be achieved by focusing on undeniable proof of past accomplishments.

13:39 Building a low-risk, high-reward business model, such as a remote cleaning service, can provide a stable income and the confidence to explore other business ventures.

Resources

973: Regal.ai: AI-Driven Success in B2C Sales to Hit Your Sales Growth Goals with Alex Levin

October 9, 2023

With businesses becoming accessible online, it could feel like there is a lack of personalized and human interaction experience being delivered to consumers, holding down business growth. However, technology such as AI-powered platforms transforms and improves the way businesses interact with their customers, giving them more personalized experiences, and leading to better growth sales.

Alex Levin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Regal.ai, a B2C sales platform that helps businesses engage with customers through personalized outbound phone calls. In this episode, Alex discusses how Regal's AI-enabled technology can help companies in industries like healthcare, insurance, and education improve their customer conversion rates by providing a more personalized and human-centric sales experience. Alex further shares his thoughts on the importance of embracing a human touch in digital sales, the common mistakes businesses make with outbound calling, and the value of a data-driven, experimental approach to marketing.

Quotes

"Think about how email marketing works. The challenge is that marketers understand it well, but salespeople often don't have that same experience." - Alex Levin

“The most successful businesses fail very fast, a lot of times. It's not about reducing the amount of failure; it's about increasing how quickly you can fail so you can move forward faster.” - Alex Levin

“The first thing to do in any test is to create the most extreme version to see if there's any signal. If something's moving, you'll quickly see if it's in a good or bad direction. Then, you can intervene, but don't make a small test.” - Alex Levin

Takeaways

01:54 Embracing a human touch in digital sales can lead to better customer engagement and higher conversion rates.

10:31 Businesses need to avoid the common mistakes of treating outbound calls like cold calling or linear B2B sales, and instead adopt a more personalized, data-driven approach.

19:15 Adopting an experimental mindset and being willing to fail fast can help businesses iterate and improve their sales and marketing strategies more quickly.

22:42 Carefully considering the unique characteristics of a business, including its risk tolerance and the speed of its sales cycle, is crucial when designing effective testing and experimentation strategies.

24:38 Midsize and larger businesses in industries like healthcare, insurance, lending, local services, and education can benefit from Regal.io's AI-enabled B2C sales platform.

Resources

972: Epic Life: The Visionary Blueprint to Abundance, Investment, and Purpose with Justin Breen

October 8, 2023

Have you ever found yourself questioning whether you're destined to be an unstoppable visionary, shaping the world's future, or just another face in the crowd, struggling to find your purpose and direction? In this episode, successful visionaries share how their unique perspectives drive happiness, fulfillment, and success.

Justin Breen is the founder and CEO of the global PR firm BrEpic. He is also the author of the book "Epic Life," which focuses on finding one's "E-key guy" and setting big goals to reach one's full potential. Today, Justin talks about his work connecting visionaries from various industries and shares the knowledge he has gained from these interactions, including the unique mindset and challenges often faced by entrepreneurs and visionaries.

Quotes

"If I'm not the dumbest person in the room, I'm in the wrong room." - Justin Breen

“No failure, you're either winning or learning.” - Justin Breen

“Things were meant to be exactly how they're meant to be. I'm glad for everything I've been through, both the ups and downs. It's the downs where you really learn something, and they make you appreciate the ups much more.” - Justin Breen

Takeaways

06:21 Visionaries are a unique breed, often driven by past trauma and challenges, but possess exceptional coping skills and the ability to create transformative change.

11:33 Entrepreneurs and business owners operate in separate worlds, with little overlap or understanding between the two mindsets, making it crucial for visionaries to find their tribe.

13:21 Failure is not a concept recognized by true visionaries, who view setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth on the path to achieving their worthy ideals.

15:01 Maintaining a mindset of abundance, gratitude, and viewing investments rather than costs is essential for visionaries to thrive and make a lasting impact.

16:58 The role of a "sheepdog" or "shepherd" is to guide and support other visionaries, while prioritizing one's own family and personal life as the ultimate investment.

Resources

971: 88Stacks: Cultivating The Power of AI Stable Diffusion Image Generation with Jason Toy

October 6, 2023

Although they say that "a picture is worth a thousand words,” finding the right image to express our thoughts and ideas is not always possible. Fortunately, this is where AI image generation comes in handy, offering a limitless array of opportunities to bring our ideas to life through images.

Jason Toy is the founder of 88stacks, an AI image-generation platform that generates images for various purposes and a growth-focused startup generalist who works in technology, marketing, operations, and growth. He spends a lot of time working with machine learning and artificial intelligence in production environments and research. Today, Jason discusses his passion for building technology and products, as well as his thoughts on the current state of AI, including the use of APIs, language models, and image generation tools.

Quotes

"I'm obsessed with learning new things. I'm always trying to up my skills. I know I won't be the best at everything, but at least everything I touch that's related to my projects and work is slowly but surely improving." - Jason Toy

“Success is a few simple disciplines practiced every single day.” - Jason Toy

“If you want to succeed in life, figure out the one or two simple things that are holding you back, and work on them every single day. Your life will change.” - Jason Toy

Takeaways

00:55 Successful entrepreneurs are often passionate about building technology and products, and are constantly learning and exploring new ideas.

03:29 The current state of AI is focused on language models and image generation tools, with many companies leveraging APIs to integrate these capabilities into their applications.

10:19 Faster feedback loops and learning mindsets are key to building successful businesses, as they allow for quick iteration and continuous improvement.

14:12 Pursuing one's passions and taking action on ideas, even in small steps, can lead to meaningful personal and professional growth.

19:39 Developing simple daily disciplines and focusing on the key factors holding you back can be a powerful path to success.

Resources

970: Buyer Persona: The Best Practices to Get Qualified Leads, Increase Conversions and Grow Sales with Jim Kraus

October 4, 2023

In the complicated world of B2B sales, the key to ensuring your products or services meet your customers' exact wants is understanding their unique pain points, preferences, and decision-making processes. With this information, you can better match your marketing and sales strategies and build trust and credibility with possible clients. By addressing their specific concerns and making the buying process easy, you not only make it more likely that you'll close the deal, but you also make it more likely that pleased customers will become loyal brand advocates. This practical way of getting to know your B2B customers can help you make more money, keep more customers, and keep your business growing.

Jim Kraus is the President of Buyer Persona Institute, a division of KS&R, which was founded in 2010 to give B2B companies insight into what their prospective customers need to know and experience before they will buy. With three decades of experience managing high-performing market research teams on the client and supplier side, he's worked on hundreds of studies that directly inform marketing, sales, and product strategy, focusing on understanding buyer attitudes and behaviors.

Jim's focus is championing the "voice of the buyer", particularly in helping clients improve the ROI of all their marketing and sales activities, including thought leadership, demand generation, lead nurturing, and sales plays. Today, Jim will talk about redefining the concept of buyer personas and how it differs from the traditional understanding, the importance of structuring buyer personas around specific buying decisions to inform and improve marketing and sales strategies, and ultimately helping listeners understand how these insights can influence their decision-making processes in marketing and sales.

Quotes

"The best way to capture buyer insights is by talking to recent buyers. There's no better way to do it." - Jim Kraus

“If you have a natural curiosity and are open to probing, resources can later help you structure interviews. You'd be surprised how much you can learn from them.” - Jim Kraus

“Make sure you really understand the job, as well as the frustrations and challenges that others on the same mission face. These insights are invaluable.” - Jim Kraus

Takeaways

01:21 Developing buyer personas that provide deep insights into the actual buying decisions of your target customers is more valuable than creating fictional profiles.

03:57 Conducting in-depth interviews with recent buyers is the best way to capture key insights about their buying process, including their priorities, success factors, perceived barriers, and decision criteria.

13:54 Buyer quotes add credibility and depth to your messaging and communication, allowing you to better connect with and understand your target audience.

24:19 The buyer persona approach can be a game-changer, leading to increased qualified leads and conversions by helping you better differentiate from competitors.

25:15 Empathy and understanding the challenges and frustrations of other teams within your organization can unlock new opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

Resources

969: Twibi Agency: Digital Marketing, Lead Generation, SEO and AI Strategies with Brenton Thomas

October 2, 2023

Achieving marketing goals demands a multifaceted approach, and a good strategy often encompasses multiple tactics such as paid search, which enables instant visibility and precise targeting, ensuring your message reaches the right audience at the right time. Paid social leverages the vast user base of social media platforms, allowing for engaging and highly targeted campaigns. Meanwhile, SEO forms the bedrock of your long-term online presence, organically elevating your brand's visibility in search results and cementing its authority in your industry. Using these strategies, businesses can unlock a powerful synergy that propels them toward their marketing goals.

Brenton Thomas is the founder of Twibi Agency, a digital marketing agency based in Portland, Oregon, amd is a digital marketing expert with over seven years of experience in paid search, paid social, organic social media, and SEO. He has worked with clients ranging from small mom-and-pop shops to billion-dollar companies like Magic Eden. Today, Brenton explains his focus on driving leads and revenue for his clients, as well as his use of AI in content creation and the challenges he's faced in building his agency.

Quotes

"My team is great. I really enjoy working with them and find the things happening in their lives fascinating. I want to keep working with them and help them grow." - Brenton Thomas

“I'm interested in AI and want to see how we can work in this scope. We can figure out this whole AI blog posting thing. A lot of time and focus of the entire team is going into this so if we can figure it out, sky's the limit.” - Brenton Thomas

“Sometimes the downs can actually slingshot you higher up. Whatever you're going through, or whatever you're about to go through, it's just a season. If you work hard, you can uplift yourself from a lot of it.” - Brenton Thomas

Takeaways

02:08 Focusing on leads and revenue is crucial, even if a client's initial goal is brand awareness.

04:45 Choosing the right marketing strategy depends on the time horizon and speed of growth needed to reach a client's goals.

05:28 Utilizing AI for content creation can be beneficial, but it's important to maintain the brand's personality and voice.

11:53 Building a strong network through organized business networking groups can lead to valuable client referrals.

17:15 Embracing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and seeing challenges as opportunities for growth can lead to the best outcomes.

Resources

968: Maly Marketing: Strategic Data-Driven Marketing Campaigns and Multi-Channel Media Buys with Steve Maly

October 1, 2023

Creativity and ingenuity are the lifeblood of brand development. They enable a brand to stand out in a crowded marketplace by crafting a unique identity that resonates with its target audience. It's about finding that distinctive angle, that fresh perspective, and that innovative approach that captures attention and creates lasting impressions. Harnessing creativity and ingenuity can not only help brands differentiate themselves but also forge deep emotional connections with customers, fostering loyalty and long-term success.

Steve Maly, the CEO and Founder of Maly Marketing leads a dynamic full-service marketing and advertising agency headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. At Maly Marketing, their core strength lies in creative problem-solving, a skill honed and proven across a wide spectrum of industries. Their portfolio spans from comprehensive branding initiatives to cutting-edge digital campaigns, all of which are crafted with ingenuity and innovation to consistently yield substantial and lasting impact. Today, Steve will talk about the mechanics of traditional marketing, the key to all marketing, marketing budget, and shed light on the vital role of KPIs. Stay tuned!

Quotes

"The way the meta was set up initially, you could be a pretty bad marketer but still get good results because costs were so cheap back then." - Steve Maly

“Part of it kind of reminds me of a circumstance. How do you track marketing? That's always the question you get: how do you prove this? Various sources will show you data, like Google, but the traditional side is different. With a traditional setup, you can't click on a billboard to see the full path.” - Steve Maly

“Business truly is about being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that right room costs money, but it's worth investing in getting into that room and connecting with higher-level people.” - Steve Maly

Takeaways

03:10 Balancing traditional and digital marketing strategies can lead to better results, as traditional channels like billboards and TV ads can provide credibility and increase engagement with digital ads.

08:12 Direct mail can be a surprisingly effective tactic, especially in the B2B space, where it can drive high conversion rates to meetings.

12:13 Tracking marketing performance across multiple channels can be challenging, but using tools like Google Data Studio can help provide a more holistic view of campaign effectiveness.

12:32 Introducing new marketing channels can often lead to a 30% bump in performance on existing channels, highlighting the importance of a multi-pronged approach.

19:21 Networking and building relationships with industry peers and thought leaders can be a valuable investment, as it can lead to new opportunities and insights.

Resources

967: Noble Studios: Entrepreneurial Operating System and Growth Mindset with Jarrod Lopiccolo

September 29, 2023

Having an entrepreneurial mindset centered on growth is essential for success in today's dynamic business landscape. It involves adopting a proactive approach, continuously seeking opportunities, and being open to innovation. Entrepreneurs who prioritize growth are constantly looking for ways to expand their reach, develop new products or services, and enter new markets. They understand the importance of resilience, adaptability, and learning from failures.

Jarrod Lopiccolo is the CEO of Noble Studios, a company renowned for its creative digital performance. Joining him as a guest with William Crozer, their Senior Digital Marketing Manager. Noble Studios stands as a prominent figure in the industry, boasting collaborations with giants like Adobe, Google, and Disney. Their approach to achieving inspiring results emphasizes the importance of patience, data-driven processes, and, above all, an unwavering passion for what they do. Today, Jarrod and William will focus on the intricacies of marketing to decision makers and CEOs, nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset, and fostering a growth-oriented perspective. Stay tuned!

Quotes

"Entrepreneurs, we always joke that we're cut from a different cloth or we're a different breed. It comes down to attitude. At the end of the day, you need to lead with a very positive, can-do attitude. Never give up; anything is possible." - Jarrod Lopiccolo

“Don't be complacent. Be content, but don't be totally satisfied. Your business is only yours if you're providing value.” - Jarrod Lopiccolo

“Having the discipline to say no more often will keep you focused on your path. You'll get to your vision a lot faster because you're not chasing all these other opportunities that don't squarely relate to your concept.” - Jarrod Lopiccolo

Takeaways

01:22 Successful entrepreneurs maintain a positive, can-do attitude and surround themselves with like-minded individuals who will support and challenge them.

08:50 Disciplined goal-setting, from long-term visions to daily habits, is crucial for achieving entrepreneurial success.

15:24 Staying adaptable and avoiding complacency is key - being content but never fully satisfied allows entrepreneurs to continuously improve and grow.

18:57 Treating your own business with the same care and attention as client work is essential for remaining relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.

21:00 Learning to say "no" more often can help entrepreneurs stay focused on their core vision and path forward.

Resources

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