Interview

1151: Overcome Adversity and Find Happiness with Leadership Change Expert Dr. Allen Lycka

August 29, 2024

Finding happiness and positivity amidst chaos and negativity can be challenging. The weight of the world’s issues can sometimes feel overwhelming, making it hard to stay upbeat and focused. Overcoming these feelings often requires intentional effort and finding small ways to cope with the surrounding challenges.

Dr. Allen Lycka, host of the popular radio show "Live with the Famous Dr. AL," has overcome his own personal struggles, including a near-death experience and a misdiagnosis of ALS, to emerge as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Dr. Lykca emphasizes the importance of starting each day with gratitude, focusing on the small joys and blessings in life. He provides practical tips, such as identifying three things to be grateful for each morning, to help listeners cultivate a positive mindset and overcome the negativity that often permeates our daily lives. Today, Dr. Lykca shares his powerful strategies for living a fantastic life. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Start with gratitude. Every morning, begin by listing three things you’re grateful for that day. Starting each day with happiness is essential, and happiness is a choice.” – Dr. Allen Lycka

"You have to bring enthusiasm to every job you do, because you never know the stuff that's going to come out of it." – Dr. Allen Lycka

“It's not what happens to you, it's what you do with what happens.” Dr. Allen Lycka

Takeaways

02:44 Start each day with gratitude by identifying 3 things you are thankful for.

06:16 Focus on what you can control, rather than worrying about things outside your influence.

13:14 Maintain enthusiasm and positivity in all your tasks, as you never know the positive impact they may have.

16:57 Continuously learn from others, including reading books and listening to experts.

23:43 Celebrate your achievements and successes, no matter how small.

Resources

1150: Solve Key Business Problems: A Workflow Optimization Masterclass with Method Integration Senior Director Nelson De Miranda

August 21, 2024

Running a small business can feel overwhelming, especially when you're buried in the chaos and complexity of daily operations. It's easy to get stuck playing gatekeeper, managing endless administrative tasks that pull you away from focusing on growth and serving your customers. This constant juggling can leave you feeling drained and frustrated, struggling to find the time and energy for what really matters.

As the Senior Director of Customer Success at method.me, Nelson De Miranda is a seasoned expert in empowering small businesses to break free from the chaos of daily operations. With a background spanning technical marketing, sales, and customer service, Nelson understands the unique challenges facing growing companies - from getting bogged down in tedious administrative tasks to struggling to scale efficient workflows. Today, Nelson discusses the importance of leveraging no-code platforms to automate workflows and empower small businesses to grow beyond the limitations of off-the-shelf software, while maintaining a strong accounting foundation in QuickBooks. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Technology will only replace so much. Even with AI, we still need humans to press buttons for now. We have to figure that out piece by piece, learn it ourselves, and overcome those challenges on our own.” – Nelson De Miranda

"Limitations are temporary. In the small business space, you're always going to face some sort of adversity." – Nelson De Miranda

“Sometimes what you need is someone to help you push through and realize that the limits you thought you had were just a little beyond your own expectations.” Nelson De Miranda

Takeaways

04:09 Explore automation solutions to see how processes can be improved and free up time for business owners.

14:36 Integrate your accounting software like QuickBooks as the foundation and build customized solutions on top of that.

16:40 Identify the key problems in your workflow and focus on solving those first, rather than trying to overhaul everything at once.

17:34 Use visual aids like diagrams to help plan and structure your business processes and workflows.

21:04 Immerse yourself in using your own products and services to stay innovative and solve customer problems.

Resources

1149: Craft Compelling Brand Stories for Small Business with Bowe Digital Owner Wayne Stanley

August 20, 2024

Is your business's marketing message feeling stale and outdated? Too often, businesses get stuck focusing on the features and investments they've made, rather than the human connection that truly resonates. As businesses evolve, so too must their storytelling. With the right guidance, even long-established brands can rediscover the spark that made them special in the first place. Are you ready to breathe new life into your company's story? The path forward may be closer than you think.

Wayne Stanley is the Chief Inspiration Officer at Bowe Digital, a marketing agency acclaimed for helping small businesses craft compelling brand stories. With over a decade of experience, Wayne specializes in revitalizing outdated marketing strategies and reigniting enthusiasm within organizations. His unique approach combines customer insights, employee workshops, and creative storytelling to uncover the authentic essence of a business. Today, Wayne discusses the importance of crafting a compelling and evolving brand story for small businesses, focusing on listening to customers, aligning internal priorities with external needs, and much more so stay tuned!

Quotes

“One of the best and worst things about today's world is that we can get whatever customer service we want.” – Wayne Stanley

"Enthusiasm is one of the most contagious feelings there can be. So you have to harness that enthusiasm for your company, your brand, your service, and figure out how to get others to do that." – Wayne Stanley

“Your story two months before the pandemic was very different. It should be able to evolve as your company does.” Wayne Stanley

Takeaways

01:10 Effective storytelling for a business involves understanding what customers truly value, not just what the business wants to promote.

04:11 Businesses should regularly review and update their brand story to ensure it remains relevant and resonates with their target audience.

11:34 Integrating a new brand story across all aspects of a business, from customer interactions to internal culture, is crucial for success.

21:12 Businesses should focus on doing more with limited resources, even if it's just a small step, to reignite enthusiasm and update outdated practices.

27:53 Embracing a "get scrappy" mindset can help businesses find creative, budget-friendly ways to market themselves effectively.

Resources

1148: Discover Your Authentic Self: A Transformative Approach to Business Success with Lefkoe Institute CEO Shelly Lefkoe

August 14, 2024

Limiting beliefs can significantly hold you back from reaching your full potential, often manifesting as procrastination, fear of public speaking, or difficulty in marketing your business effectively. These internal barriers can create self-doubt and hinder your progress in both personal and professional areas. Overcoming these challenges is essential to unlocking your true capabilities and achieving the success you desire.

Shelly Lefkoe is a transformational coach, co-authored "Hitting the Wall: Eliminate the Beliefs That Sabotage Your Business and Your Life" and an expert in eliminating the limiting beliefs that sabotage success. For over 35 years, she has helped people from all walks of life free themselves from unwanted behaviors and emotional patterns, such as imposter syndrome, fear of public speaking, and the inability to market their businesses effectively. Shelly's unique process goes beyond coping mechanisms, directly addressing the root cause of these issues - the unconscious beliefs that shape our perceptions and actions. Today, Shelly discusses how our unconscious beliefs shape our behaviors, emotions, and ability to achieve success. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Beliefs are a statement about reality that we hold as the truth.” – Shelly Lefkoe

"Most of our beliefs are unconscious. We don't even know that we have them, but they run our lives." – Shelly Lefkoe

“Underneath anger is always powerlessness. Because if you could do something about it, you would just do it.” Shelly Lefkoe

Takeaways

01:00 Eliminating limiting beliefs is key to overcoming unwanted behaviors and emotional patterns.

02:07 Beliefs shape our perceptions and experiences and can be changed to achieve success and happiness.

03:00 Understanding the root cause of problems, such as fear of public speaking, is essential for making lasting changes.

25:28 Identifying and challenging core beliefs that hold us back can lead to powerful emotional breakthroughs and transformations.

31:29 Compassion and responsibility are important in overcoming resilience and sabotaging beliefs.

Resources

1147: Streamline Franchise Marketing: Promote Local Growth through Innovative Solutions with LOMA Co-Founder Brett Campbell

August 13, 2024

Are you a franchise owner or marketer struggling to effectively scale your local marketing efforts? Franchisees often find themselves overwhelmed with the daily responsibilities of managing operations. This leaves them with little time to focus on marketing efforts. As a result, they may struggle to promote their business effectively. Balancing these tasks can be a significant challenge for many franchisees.

Brett Campbell is a seasoned franchise marketing expert with nearly 30 years of experience driving profitability, growth, and brand excellence for major brands like Papa John's and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. As the co-founder of LOMA Platform, Brett has developed a unique solution to address a critical gap in the franchise industry - the lack of scalable tools to support local store marketing efforts. Today, Brett discusses the challenges franchise owners and marketers face in effectively executing local store marketing efforts. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Local store marketing is one of those areas of marketing that's always been there, but it's not pushed enough. It's not emphasized because it's hard to scale.” – Brett Campbell

"We're trying to create this easy to order process for these franchisees to come in and understand exactly what they're looking for." – Brett Campbell

“Identifying the gaps in your area of expertise and figuring out how to solve them would be my words of wisdom at this point.” Brett Campbell

Takeaways

02:02 Local marketing is crucial for franchise brands to drive sales and awareness, but often lacks the necessary support and tools.

12:06 LOMA Platform aims to streamline local marketing efforts for franchisees and field marketers, reducing tedious tasks to a few clicks.

17:30 The platform provides a marketplace for franchisees to easily find and hire local marketing vendors, with data-driven insights and benchmark KPIs.

20:39 LOMA's solution can potentially disrupt marketing for small businesses by connecting them with vendors and automating local marketing execution.

24:18 Identifying gaps in your area of expertise and finding creative solutions to fill them can lead to successful business opportunities.

Resources

1146: Master Digital Advertising with DRAFT Media Partners CEO Skip Wilson

August 12, 2024

What are the keys to successful digital marketing and advertising in today's landscape? Explore the fundamentals of advertising that still apply, even as the tools and technologies continue to evolve. Learn how to blend the old and the new to deliver measurable results for your business, and discover the common pitfalls to avoid when running paid advertising campaigns.

Skip Wilson is a digital media pioneer who has shaped the advertising landscape for decades. As the co-founder of Draft Media Partners, he empowers businesses to reach their target audiences with precision and measurable results. Today, Skip discusses his expertise in blending traditional advertising fundamentals with new digital technologies, shared strategies for troubleshooting underperforming paid advertising campaigns, and recounted his career journey from copywriter to digital media pioneer, offering insights on the challenges and lessons learned as an entrepreneur. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Rarely is the case that a campaign didn't work. Usually it's some piece that didn't work. Just take the time to dig in to figure out which piece it was and fix that.” – Skip Wilson

"Have radical empathy. Listen to your customers, employees, and that jerk that's yelling at you about something that's going wrong with your product. That person's more valuable than anyone else in your life." – Skip Wilson

“The more you can increase urgency, desire or trust and decrease delay, cost and effort, that's what people are looking for.” Skip Wilson

Takeaways

01:33 Blending old and new marketing fundamentals is key to navigating the ever-changing digital landscape.

07:19 Systematically identifying and fixing specific issues in an ad campaign is more effective than simply declaring it a failure.

10:06 Embracing failures and learning from them can lead to significant growth and adaptability as an entrepreneur.

24:34 Leveraging data-driven planning and tracking tools can help businesses effectively reach their target audiences and achieve measurable results.

26:13 Radical empathy towards customers and their feedback, even if delivered poorly, can provide invaluable insights for improving a business.

Resources

1145: Build the Future: Discover Alternative Funds for Infrastructure Projects with MTBMA President Michael Sakata

August 11, 2024

The U.S. faces serious funding challenges for transportation infrastructure, impacting safety and progress. How can we raise public awareness to advocate for better roads and bridges? What kind of leadership is needed to push for improvements in the construction and materials industries? We need to explore these questions to ensure safer and more efficient infrastructure.

Michael Sakata is a visionary leader in the transportation infrastructure industry. As the President and CEO of the Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association (MTBMA), he is at the forefront of addressing the critical challenges facing America's crumbling roads, bridges, and transportation systems. Today, Michael talks about the critical funding challenges facing transportation infrastructure in the United States, the importance of raising public awareness and advocacy, and the leadership required to drive progress and improve safety in the construction and materials industries. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“Perfection is the enemy of progress. It's a quote that gently reminds you to strive for progress rather than perfection.” – Michael Sakata

"You gotta have fun with what you're doing, no matter what you're doing in life." – Michael Sakata

“Leadership is about learning and working with your team. It's about collaborating with board members and people across the aisle to get things done.” Michael Sakata

Takeaways

03:52 Understanding the complex funding sources and challenges for transportation infrastructure is crucial for the public to be informed and engaged.

08:56 Leveraging technology and innovative materials can help improve the longevity and cost-effectiveness of transportation projects, but must be balanced with available funding.

14:13 Collaboration and communication between industry, government, and the public are essential for addressing transportation safety and efficiency issues.

22:49 Educating the public about the importance of transportation infrastructure and advocacy is a key role of organizations like the Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association.

24:39 Pursuing progress over perfection is a valuable leadership principle that can drive meaningful and lasting advancements in the transportation industry.

Resources

1144: Diabetes Management Reimagined: Exploring the Innovative Dana Chatbot with CureChat Ltd Founder Dr. Shimon Zilbershlag

August 10, 2024

Imagine a future where AI not only predicts your blood sugar levels but also helps prevent spikes before they happen. What if your smartwatch could give you real-time advice tailored just for you? How might these advancements change the way you manage your diabetes daily? The possibilities are exciting and could transform care as we know it.

Dr. Shimon Zilbershlag is a visionary in the field of healthcare technology. As the CEO of CureChat, he has developed Dana, an innovative AI chatbot that revolutionizes diabetes management. Driven by his passion for improving lives, Dr. Zilbershlag has leveraged his expertise in software, AI, and management to create a personalized, culturally-tailored solution that addresses the emotional and social challenges of living with diabetes. Today, Dr. Zilbershlag discusses the inspiration behind creating Dana. Stay tuned!

Quotes

“The aim was to empower people with diabetes to manage their condition more effectively and live healthier lives, and we're doing this by leveraging AI and technology.” – Shimon Zilbershlag

"This level of cultural understanding is crucial for effective diabetes management, helping users feel that their unique needs are being addressed by providing advice that is not only clinically accurate but also culturally relevant." – Shimon Zilbershlag

“Our ultimate vision is a world where everyone, regardless of location or economic status, has access to high-quality healthcare support.” Shimon Zilbershlag

Takeaways

00:52 Dana provides personalized and culturally relevant support to help people with diabetes manage their condition more effectively.

01:53 Dana offers emotional support and companionship to users, addressing the mental and social challenges of living with diabetes.

06:33 Dana complements traditional medical care by providing continuous education, monitoring, and guidance between doctor visits.

08:43 Dana is made accessible to economically vulnerable populations by being offered for free, sponsored by healthcare organizations and employers.

11:46 Cure Chat aims to revolutionize global diabetes care by continuously improving and expanding Dana's capabilities.

Resources

1143: Outsourcing Secrets: How to Build a Winning Virtual Team with Teambuilders Owner Barry Coziahr

August 1, 2024

Feeling overwhelmed with the daily grind and struggling to grow your business is a challenge many entrepreneurs face. The constant pressure of managing everything alone can lead to stress and burnout. This reactive approach often leaves you exhausted, unable to focus on what truly matters. The difficulty lies in juggling immediate tasks with strategic planning, making it feel like you're always one step behind. Embracing virtual assistants and prioritizing key activities can unlock more time, reduce stress, and boost profitability, helping you regain control and focus on what you love.

Barry Coziahr, owner of Teambuilders Agency, is a seasoned expert in helping business owners maximize their time, increase profitability, and focus on the tasks they love most. With his unique approach to vetting, training, and managing virtual teams, he helps his clients unlock their full potential and achieve their business goals. Today, Barry discusses the power of virtual assistants and how they can help business owners maximize their time, increase profitability, and focus on the tasks they enjoy most. He explores the 80/20 principle, which states that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts, and how this can be applied to delegating tasks to virtual assistants.

Quotes

“You're either growing as a person or you're not, and the opposite of that is not very pleasant and not a place you want to end up. You want to keep growing individually.” – Barry Coziahr

"Become a successful student, which means being someone who not only understands information and knows what it is but also knows how to use it and does use it to achieve success in other areas of life." – Barry Coziahr

“You have to learn how to be a good boss, how to take care of people, and how to utilize them properly. It's something you should learn, and it's okay to learn while you're doing it.” Barry Coziahr

Takeaways

01:13 Leveraging virtual assistants can help business owners focus on high-impact activities and increase profitability.

03:20 Applying the 80/20 principle can identify the critical 20% of tasks that drive 80% of results, allowing for strategic delegation.

13:28 Thorough vetting, training, and ongoing support are crucial for building an effective virtual team.

18:10 Regular check-ins and efficient meetings are key to managing a remote workforce.

26:00 Continuous learning and personal growth are essential for business success.

Resources

1142: Transform Your Business Using Marketing Automation Techniques with Co-Founder of Building Income on Demand Alex Thoric

July 31, 2024

Imagine a world where your small business runs like a well-oiled machine, effortlessly attracting and retaining customers while you focus on what you do best. No more late nights stressing over marketing strategies, no more guesswork. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, welcome to the world of marketing systems and automation – a game-changer for small businesses everywhere.

Alex Thoric is a digital marketing guru and the co-founder of Building Income on Demand. In just under two years, Alex has made a big splash in the marketing world by helping a variety of industries, including spas, gyms, coaches, consultants, real estate, and restaurants, create effective marketing systems. He has simplified his wisdom into a nine-step process that has shown success across multiple industries. Today, Alex shares insights on creating marketing systems, leveraging automation, building a content machine, and achieving business growth. Listen to learn more!

Quotes

“It doesn't matter how many great tactics, strategies, and tools we show or implement—none of them will work if the mindset is not there.” – Alex Thoric

"It’s about creating a consistent, predictable sales machine that works for you 24/7 once you set it up." – Alex Thoric

“A river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” Alex Thoric

Takeaways

01:10 Developing a consistent marketing system that works across different industries is crucial for business success.

09:24 Combining content marketing and targeted advertising is an effective hybrid approach to attract and nurture potential clients.

15:04 Adapting to changes, such as the shift to online classes during COVID-19, can help businesses not only survive but thrive.

20:28 Overcoming personal struggles, like client acquisition, requires the right mindset and a willingness to learn from others.

23:03 Automating marketing systems and providing a comprehensive suite of services can help businesses focus on their strengths and grow consistently.

Resources

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