Archive 4: 2020-2023
966: Respona: SEO Organic, Backlinks and Keywords with Farzad Rashidi
In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the key to success lies not in stagnation but in continuous growth. To effectively market yourself and your business, it's crucial to stay adaptable and embrace change. Engaging with your audience through various channels, from social media to content marketing, can help expand your reach and influence. Additionally, fostering innovation, seeking new opportunities, and consistently delivering value to your customers are essential strategies for sustainable growth.
Farzad Rashidi is the Lead Innovator at Respona, an all-in-one digital PR and link-building software that seamlessly blends personalization and productivity to empower businesses in their outreach efforts. Farzad brings a wealth of expertise in this field, and today he's here to shed light on link building, organic traffic generation, company bootstrapping, marketing strategies, search engine optimization, methods to enhance business growth, avoiding stagnation, and so much more!
Quotes
"If it were an easy plug-and-play solution where you just press a button and it's done, everyone would have done it. It would become meaningless." - Farzad Rashidi
“If you've never done any sort of outreach, don't purchase all these fancy tools from day one. Start doing some manual outreach yourself to experience the process and understand the challenges better.” - Farzad Rashidi
“Good things take time. As long as you put in your best effort every single day, consistency is key. Wait for the results to come in over time. Don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate satisfaction.” - Farzad Rashidi
Takeaways
09:52 Building relationships with authoritative publications in your industry is key to improving your search engine rankings.
16:23 Hands-on experience with manual outreach can help you better understand the challenges and nuances of effective link building.
17:29 Automating the process of outreach and link building can save significant time and resources compared to manual efforts.
22:47 Providing value to potential partners, rather than just seeking backlinks, is crucial for successful link building campaigns.
29:20 Patience and consistency are essential when implementing long-term SEO strategies, as the benefits may not be immediately apparent.
Resources
- Respona: Drive more organic traffic to your website
- Respona App on Facebook
- Farzad Rashidi on LinkedIn
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:31 — 43.5MB) | Embed
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965: Appvance: The Innovator of Generative AI with Keynote Speaker Kevin Surace
Harnessing the potential of AI is similar to unlocking a treasure trove of opportunities for businesses. AI can optimize operations, improve decision-making, and enhance customer experiences like never before. With some expertise, companies can tap into this transformative power, driving innovation and staying ahead in the dynamic landscape of AI-driven business evolution.
Kevin Surace is an AI innovator and the founder of appvance.ai, a company that uses AI to find bugs in web and mobile applications. He has been involved in the AI industry for over 25 years, working on projects like the first AI-based virtual assistants and building management systems that use AI to reduce energy usage. Today, Kevin talks about the current state of AI, including the hype and fear surrounding it, and how AI can be used as a tool to enhance human productivity rather than replace jobs.
Quotes
"Unless someone hooks an AI to our nuclear arsenal and asks it to launch the nukes, it's not going to end the world." - Kevin Surace
“These code assistants excel at providing interesting choices for code. They function as assistants, acting like amplifiers for your coding capabilities.” - Kevin Surace
“We need to be on the good side of AI. While bad actors may try to use AI in harmful ways, we are here to prevent them from carrying out ransomware attacks and other malicious activities.” - Kevin Surace
Takeaways
04:09 AI language models like ChatGPT are not intelligent, but rather sophisticated math models that generate language based on patterns they've learned from vast datasets.
07:23 Using AI assistants like ChatGPT can boost productivity by providing a starting point for tasks like writing and coding, even though the output may require significant editing.
19:36 The hype and fear surrounding AI is part of a typical technology hype cycle, and the real value of AI will emerge as it becomes integrated into various industries and applications.
17:10 Safeguards and rules are necessary to prevent AI from being used for malicious purposes, such as creating fake content or assisting in cyberattacks.
22:19 The future of AI will likely involve it becoming a ubiquitous tool, much like calculators and spreadsheets, rather than a technology that will replace all human jobs.
Resources
- Appvance: The Leader in Generative AI for Software Quality
- Kevin Surace on Facebook
- Kevin Surace on LinkedIn
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:30 — 40.7MB) | Embed
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964: Ginni Media: Podcasting Growth and ROI with Ginni Saraswati
Podcasting has emerged as a valuable tool for business growth in the digital age. It offers a unique platform to connect with your target audience, providing a more intimate and personalized experience compared to traditional marketing channels. Consistently delivering valuable content and insights through podcasts can help position yourself as an industry authority, fostering trust and credibility among your listeners. Moreover, podcasts enable you to reach a global audience, expanding your business's reach and potential customer base significantly. Embracing podcasting as a part of your marketing strategy can effectively enhance brand visibility, generate leads, and ultimately drive business growth.
Ginni Saraswati is the owner and founder of Ginni Media, a New York City-based internationally recognized podcasting production house providing multiple podcast services, and the host of the Ginni Show. Today, Ginni brings up the importance of being present and elevating diverse voices through audio media. She shares her journey as an entrepreneur and the growth she has experienced, especially in the last two years. Ginni also talked about the challenges her clients face when starting a podcast and how her team helps them overcome those hurdles.
Quotes
"I loved the platform of podcasting way before podcasting was actually podcasting." - Ginni Saraswati
“The biggest achievement that I'm going to brag about is I have learned so much about myself in the last two years post pandemic than I have ever before.” - Ginni Saraswati
“Don't be so fixated on buying the house and the things. I didn't think about the practicality of that. I would have eventually gotten there myself. But if someone had told me that at 17, I would have saved a lot of time.” - Ginni Saraswati
Takeaways
03:39 Developing self-awareness and addressing personal growth areas can positively impact an entrepreneur's ability to show up consistently and effectively in their business.
04:29 Building a remote team with diverse perspectives can be a significant achievement for an entrepreneur, fostering creativity and strong team dynamics.
09:47 Podcasting is a powerful communication tool that can help businesses deepen their connection with their current customer base or grow their client and customer base.
17:10 Overcoming the initial hesitations around podcasting, such as feeling overwhelmed, technical challenges, and concerns about monetization, is key to successful podcast implementation.
18:01 Embracing one's authentic voice and unique perspective, rather than trying to emulate others, is essential for creating an engaging and successful podcast.
Resources
- Ginni Media: Made Offbeat
- The Ginni Show on Facebook
- Ginni Saraswati on LinkedIn
- The Ginni Show on Acast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:46 — 35.6MB) | Embed
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963: Find Your Audience: Solve Marketing Problems and Create Pipeline Growth with Fractional CMO Nathan Yeung
Most marketing businesses concentrate on the artistic aspect of marketing. They are unaware that creativity is merely a component of marketing and that it is not always crucial. Business owners ought to also focus on the operational aspects of marketing, such as case studies and sales enablement tools. Doing so will enable your marketing system to roll and attract people to our business, resulting in growth.
Nathan Yeung is the founder of Find Your Audience, an online marketing agency that provides fractional CMO services to businesses. With a background in finance and management consulting, Nathan brings a unique perspective to marketing, focusing on the operational and sales-enabling aspects rather than just the creative side. Today, Nathan discusses the importance of maximizing existing marketing assets and channels before expanding into new ones.
Quotes
"Creativity is only one cog in the wheel. It's not always the most important." - Nathan Yeung
“We don't necessarily believe that creativity alone can fix all marketing problems. Marketing is really a toolkit, and you can do a variety of things with it.” - Nathan Yeung
“You have to think about everything you do as if you have one shot. When you consider it that way, it makes a lot more sense because you have to perform.” - Nathan Yeung
Takeaways
00:50 Focusing on optimizing existing marketing assets and channels can be more impactful than constantly expanding into new ones.
02:55 Regularly updating and effectively distributing sales enablement tools, like case studies and testimonials, is crucial for driving revenue.
13:31 Bringing in an outside perspective, like a fractional CMO, can help identify and address blind spots in a company's marketing strategy.
24:28 Specializing and being unique in your marketing approach can be more effective than trying to be a generalist across multiple channels.
24:44 Adopting a "one shot" mentality, where every marketing effort is treated as a critical opportunity, can lead to more focused and impactful campaigns.
Resources
- Find Your Audience Online: A Fractional Marketing Team that Solves All Your Marketing Problems and Delivers Pipeline Growth
- Nathan Yeung on Facebook
- Nathan Yeung on LinkedIn
- Find Your Audience Marketing on Facebook
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:41 — 36.8MB) | Embed
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962: Yobi: AI, Entrepreneurship, and Customer Support with Ahmed Reza
As Artificial Intelligence has started to spread like wildfire, you can easily lose track of the ever-fast innovation and demand around AI and its growing capabilities. Fortunately, this rise in demand opens an opportunity to use the growing capabilities of AI in their own businesses.
Ahmed Reza is the co-founder of Yobi, an AI-powered company dedicated to helping businesses excel in customer relationship management. Ahmed has an interesting background, having started as a child actor in Bangladesh before emigrating to the United States and eventually becoming a NASA engineer. Today, Ahmed shares his unique perspective as an immigrant, how it has shaped his entrepreneurial journey, and the innovative AI technology he is developing at Yobi to revolutionize business communications.
Quotes
"I have a significant unfair advantage compared to just about everybody else because most folks have lived in just one world paradigm." - Ahmed Reza
“I'm a big proponent of learning new things and understanding and engaging with technology before it comes out.” - Ahmed Reza
“Because of our negative bias, I think it often doesn't serve us well. It's beneficial if there's a tiger in the bushes, but if you're always scared of bushes shaking and it's just a squirrel, you'll live in a state of panic and fear.” - Ahmed Reza
Takeaways
04:21 Embracing diverse perspectives and experiences can provide a unique advantage in business and entrepreneurship.
10:34 Leveraging AI and automation can significantly boost productivity and scale customer service for small businesses.
22:38 Sharing knowledge and insights through platforms like social media can inspire and educate others in the entrepreneurial community.
24:11 Balancing logical and emotional intelligence is key to making informed decisions and avoiding analysis paralysis.
25:54 Maintaining a forward-looking mindset and adapting to technological advancements is crucial for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Resources
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:56 — 49.5MB) | Embed
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961: SEO Optimizers: Unlock the Secrets of Search Engine Optimization, Digital Marketing, and Content Marketing with Brandon Leibowitz
In the vast digital landscape, where billions of websites compete for attention, SEO becomes the ultimate secret weapon to make your online presence shine like a star. By skillfully optimizing SEO, you ignite a powerful rocket that propels your website to the top of search engine rankings, grabbing eyeballs and inviting visitors to dance with your content. From crafting captivating meta tags that act as enchanting invitations to optimizing content with a sprinkle of keywords that lead search engines to your virtual doorstep, it's all about orchestrating a symphony of strategies that get your website grooving to the rhythm of success.
Brandon Leibowitz is the driving force behind SEO Optimizers, a digital marketing company committed to empowering small and medium-sized businesses to thrive in the online world. Brandon's journey in the digital marketing realm took off in 2007, fresh out of college with a degree in Business Marketing, as he delved into managing the marketing efforts of an e-commerce website. In the early days, both he and the company faced the challenges of limited knowledge in the field, but Brandon's thirst for knowledge led him on a quest to self-educate through books, videos, forums, and workshops, transforming him into a true digital marketing maestro. Today, Brandon will generously impart his extensive expertise on SEO strategies, content optimization, automation, and various other advice for your business!
Quotes
"SEO is a way to get free traffic to your website, and who doesn't want free traffic?" - Brandon Leibowitz
“You need to spend the time and stay up to date with what Google wants you to do because Google changes every single day. What works today doesn't necessarily work tomorrow.” - Brandon Leibowitz
“Get mentors sooner rather than later. Ask for help from people who have run businesses. It doesn't have to be related to SEO or whatever you're doing, just anyone with experience and knowledge that you can learn from.” - Brandon Leibowitz
Takeaways
03:48 Automating repetitive tasks can save time and allow businesses to focus on creating high-quality content and building relationships.
05:16 Staying up-to-date with Google's algorithm changes and adapting accordingly is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence.
09:47 Identifying and targeting a specific niche can be an effective strategy for improving search engine rankings.
13:55 Regularly monitoring website performance and making data-driven improvements can help maximize the value of website traffic.
22:36 Seeking guidance from experienced mentors can accelerate the learning process and help businesses avoid common pitfalls.
Resources
- SEO Optimizers Gift for Listeners!
- SEO Optimizers: Get More Sales & Leads Using SEO
- Brandon Leibowitz on Facebook
- Brandon Leibowitz on LinkedIn
- Get More Sales & Leads Using SEO by Brandon Leibowitz
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:26 — 33.7MB) | Embed
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960: SupportZebra: Provide a Unique Customer Service Experience to Your Customers with Daniel Viduya
Business is all about customers. As such, treating your customers right is critical. Unfortunately, some companies neglect to give importance to their customer support system, which damages their reputation and could ultimately lead to their downfall. On the other hand, companies that truly care for their customers and provide quality customer service can ensure a successful future.
Daniel Viduya is from SupportZebra, a customer service-focused call center based in the Philippines. With over 12 years of experience in the customer service industry, Daniel has a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face in providing exceptional customer experiences. Today, Daniel shares his thoughts on the importance of building a customer-centric culture, the value of empathy in customer service, and strategies for scaling a successful customer support team.
Quotes
"It’s exciting to discuss customer service because I've experienced both sides - as a customer and as a customer service representative." - Daniel Viduya
“Customer service is your free ticket and free marketing. If you treat your customers right, they will naturally get more customers for you.” - Daniel Viduya
“Life is really difficult. But it's perspective that helps you get through these things. It's the way you respond to things that helps you get through them.” - Daniel Viduya
Takeaways
01:58 Empathy and understanding the customer's perspective are crucial for providing exceptional customer service.
03:22 Treating customer service representatives with respect and care can foster a positive, customer-centric culture.
09:12 Scaling a successful customer support team requires a structured approach, such as implementing a help desk and CRM system.
11:26 Customer service should be viewed as an investment, not just an expense, as it can lead to increased customer loyalty and referrals.
19:21 Maintaining a positive mindset and responding to challenges with resilience can help individuals and businesses navigate the ups and downs of customer service.
Resources
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:06 — 30.5MB) | Embed
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959: Raise Your Game: High Performance Secrets, Storytelling, Speaking, and Emotional Intelligence with Alan Stein, Jr.
To be the best out of the rest. This is what leaders and players want to achieve. But what is the secret to performing your best at whatever you do? Many tend to skip the basics and fundamentals, thinking this is an unnecessary step. But in contrast, mastering the basics and fundamentals is the path to being a high performer or successful in life. So work consistently, and as you progress, don’t forget to go back in and do the basics.
Alan Stein Jr. is a performance coach with over 15 years of experience working with NBA superstars like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant. He is the author of two books, "Raise Your Game" and "Sustain Your Game." Today, Alan discusses the importance of storytelling in coaching and leadership, sharing a powerful story about a lesson he learned from Kobe Bryant about never getting bored with the basics. He also talks about the value of focusing on fundamentals, being kind to yourself, and closing the "performance gap" between what you know you should do and what you actually do.
Quotes
"Over 90% of the decisions we make, both large and small, are based on emotion." - Alan Stein, Jr.
“Repetition is the oldest and most effective form of learning and skill acquisition on the planet.” - Alan Stein, Jr.
“Have a crystal-clear vision of the person you want to be 20 years from now and ensure that every single decision you make in your life aligns with becoming that person.” - Alan Stein, Jr.
Takeaways
00:58 Storytelling is a powerful tool for changing emotions and making lessons memorable.
03:13 Mastering the fundamentals through consistent repetition is the key to high performance.
15:36 Being kind and compassionate towards yourself is crucial for progress and growth.
23:39 Identifying and closing the "performance gap" between what you know you should do and what you actually do can lead to significant improvements.
27:05 Clearly defining your long-term vision and aligning your daily decisions with that vision can help you design your future.
Resources
- Alan Stein Jr.: Alan Helps Organizations Simplify Success
- Alan Stein Jr. on Facebook
- Alan Stein Jr. on LinkedIn
- Sustain Your Game: High Performance Keys to Manage Stress, Avoid Stagnation by Alan Stein Jr. on Amazon
- Raise Your Game: High-Performance Secrets from the Best of the Best Alan Stein Jr. on Amazon
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:37 — 42.2MB) | Embed
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958: Telzio: Phone Systems in the Cloud for Startups and Enterprises with Peter Schroeder
Are you having trouble managing your communication network? If so, then you have a problem. In a war, the side that has better communication has more advantages. Similarly, having a robust and modern communication network will allow your company to receive and relay information quicker to act in complicated scenarios immediately. But how can you have this kind of communication? Telzio is ready to assist you in having an easy-to-deploy, manage, and scale system.
Peter Schroeder is the founder and CEO of Telzio, a phone service provider with modern telephone infrastructure and a user-friendly interface for easy deployment, managing, and scaling. Peter is also a multi-award-winning DJ and entrepreneur. He has collaborated with companies like Facebook, Samsung, and Airbnb, transforming the way people work and communicate. Today, Peter goes over the challenges of balancing his career as an entrepreneur with the joys of fatherhood, including learning to set boundaries and manage his time differently after the birth of his twin babies.
Quotes
"Entrepreneurs are the only ones willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week." - Peter Schroeder
“Being a leader has nothing to do with managing and telling people what to do. It's about inspiring others to join you in whatever you're doing.” - Peter Schroeder
“Being naive is a really important thing. Being able to say, 'Yeah, I can do that. I've never done it before, so of course, I can do it.'” - Peter Schroeder
Takeaways
01:52 Balancing entrepreneurship and fatherhood requires learning to set boundaries and manage time differently.
14:14 Effective leaders inspire others to join them, rather than just managing and telling people what to do.
16:41 Successful entrepreneurs often have a "naive" mindset, believing they can take on big challenges despite lack of experience.
17:06 Stubbornness and the ability to hyper-focus can be key traits for entrepreneurial success.
19:03 Staying curious and exploring new ideas, even if they seem unrelated, can lead to innovative solutions.
Resources
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957: Storytelling and the Secret Sauce of Entrepreneurial Success: World-Class Marketing with Peter Tzemis
What does it truly take to build a successful business? The key lies in understanding that a unique product or idea is only half the battle. Mastery of marketing and sales strategy is equally crucial. No matter how groundbreaking or unique the product, it becomes irrelevant if it fails to capture the customers' attention. This realization is perhaps the reason why in the quest for business success, entrepreneurs find themselves needing to invest not only in the product innovation but also in creating and implementing world-class marketing strategies.
Peter Tzemis is a successful entrepreneur with a unique professional journey. He has launched a company called Pub Labs and is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller "The 77 Laws of Six Pack Abs." Today, Peter shares his secret to success, which involves focusing on his strengths and building a strong, trustworthy team to handle the tasks he's not as skilled at. He also talks about the importance of character and personal relationships when hiring, as well as the lessons he learned from his first business venture, where he initially struggled to sell his product despite having great content.
Quotes
"My secret sauce is staying in my zone of genius and building the team needed to make up for all my inefficiencies." - Peter Tzemis
“Dogs will love you unconditionally and for who you are right away. They are the purest form of honesty and happiness.” - Peter Tzemis
“Hiring frees you up and allows you to break through on many different levels.” - Peter Tzemis
Takeaways
01:49 Focusing on your strengths and building a strong, trustworthy team to handle your weaknesses is key to success as an entrepreneur.
06:03 Effective marketing and sales are just as important as having a great product or service.
08:32 Unexpected life experiences, like getting a pet, can shift your perspective and inspire you to pursue new business opportunities.
10:59 Unconditional love and honesty from pets can be a powerful source of inspiration and motivation.
13:57 Hiring the right people, based on their character and personal relationships, can free up your time to focus on your zone of genius.
Resources
- Beat Your Control Flood your bank account
- Pup Labs: #1 Supplements For Dogs - Only The Best For Your Bestie!
- Peter Tzemis on Facebook
- Peter Tzemis on LinkedIn
- The 77 Laws of Six Pack Abs by Peter Tzemis on Amazon
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