Onward Nation With Stephen Woessner | Interviews With Todays Top Business Owners | Careers

Craig Clark is the CEO of Momentum Consulting — a consulting firm that guides organizations and their leaders in the areas of personal accountability and personal performance by developing and implementing successful strategies. He has spent the past 30 years becoming a foremost expert on the science of human dynamics in the business world and believes that the only reliable approach to produce breakthroughs at any level is to ask, “How do I see myself in the world and amongst others?” What you'll learn about in this episode: How having a breakthrough can change the way you see yourself in the world Why it’s important to get “out of your box” What you need to do to create change within your team The importance of identifying behaviors in your organization Why it’s vital to practice fundamentals Why you should acknowledge your mistakes and use them as teachable moments Taking accountability for your blind spots Why self-development is a critical skill to master Why it’s vital to create an environment where pe

Barbara Turley is an investor, entrepreneur, and the Founder & CEO of The Virtual Hub — a business she started by accident that exploded in the space of 12 months to become one of the leading companies that recruits, trains, and manages virtual assistants in the digital marketing and social media space for businesses who need to free up time and energy. What you'll learn about in this episode: The story of how Barbara “accidentally” started her business Why it’s vital in business to find a problem that people will pay you to solve The importance of mastering sales Why you need to know how to create internal leverage within your business The benefits of having a 10-15 minute daily ‘huddle’ with your team How a business is really a set of systems — not a set of people How a lot of entrepreneurs are great at having big picture ideas, but not at leading a team Why your mindset is your most important asset Why you need to be able to sell before you can scale Why you need to stop expecting marketing to work W

Jakob Heuser is the Owner and Principal of Lead SV — a consulting firm that develops custom learning and development solutions for engineering organizations and the teams they impact...with the goal of helping them retain their talent. Jakob has over 15 years experience leading people in both technical and management roles and loves the intersection of people and engineering and the challenges that emerge from that relationship. What you'll learn about in this episode: Jakob’s focus on human-centered instruction and how it’s customized for the learner, not optimized for the instructor How training needs to be real, relevant and repeatable to make an impact The importance of defining what success looks like to you Why it’s vital to put into practice what you learn in training Why you need to put a time-box on your goals How turning off your email notifications during the day can help you be more productive Why it’s critical in business to ask people what they really want The value of committing to the idea of

Ed Molitor has spent the last 26 years developing his leadership skills and helping people, teams, and organizations become the best versions of themselves while coaching college basketball at the highest level, succeeding in one of the most competitive mortgage markets in the country...Chicago...and serving as VP of Operations in an industry-leading recruiting firm where he specialized in consulting clients and placing former, exiting, and retired military candidates in jobs throughout the country. Ed is also host of the podcast, The Athletics of Business. What you'll learn about in this episode: The story behind how Ed started his company, The Molitor Group The value of working with the mindset of success Why you should embrace failure How Ed applies the principles taught in Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Why you should focus on being a servant rather than being served How self-discipline and where you direct your mind will generate your thoughts The importance of mastering

Asha Saxena is a director for several for-profit companies. She served as CEO of ACULYST Corp., a Healthcare Data Analytics Firm, built an eCommerce Company and served as a CEO of Future Technologies Inc., an international data management solutions firm for twenty years. Asha is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, where she teaches Big Data Analytics and Entrepreneurship courses for graduate students and is a keynote speaker on big data. She is also the host of the Dive With Data podcast. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to overcome the challenges of being the CEO of a very fast growing company at a young age The importance of investing in your people when building a company Why many businesses go out of business because of too much opportunity Why you need to focus more on what you’re good at, rather than being a generalist The value of aligning your business strategies to the technology that you have The most important job of a true leader The benefits of having a team who underst

JT McCormick is the President and CEO of Scribe Media, a publishing company that’s created an entirely new way for you to write a book. The company has worked with nearly 1,000 authors, and was recently ranked in their category as the #2 best company to work for in Austin and #4 in their category for all of Texas. JT is also the author of “I Got There: How I Overcame Racism, Poverty, and Abuse to Achieve the American Dream.” What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of documenting your family history and your life story so that your descendants know where they came from The importance of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, not letting excuses get in the way, and making something of yourself to achieve the American Dream Why it takes a lot of guts and courage to open yourself up to potential criticism Refusing to be a victim and overcoming your circumstances How there is always the opportunity to change, whether that's during the next hour, the next day, the next week, the next year, or the n

Carol Tuttle is a teacher, speaker, online influencer, and pioneer in the field of personal development. She’s the best-selling author of five books including her newest entitled, “Mastering Affluence,” releasing nationwide this fall. For over 25 years, she has supported hundreds of thousands of people worldwide with her life-changing books and online learning programs. What you'll learn about in this episode: Branding your name and face: why it’s one of the first things Carol did and why she believes it’s so important The correlation Carol discovered between marketing in book stores and marketing books on the World Wide Web Why it’s good to emulate what successful people in your field are doing and why Carol chose to do what best-selling authors were doing The subtle shift Carol made along the way to make her audience the star rather than focusing all the attention on herself Why Carol believes she is her own story and why that makes all the difference in the way she tends to her business The importance of

Good Morning — I’m Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and your host for Onward Nation. I’m excited to share today’s episode with you because my hope is that’s going to helpful to you in a couple of different ways. So here’s the first way… This episode loops back and connects with the video we aired last week on our Predictive ROI YouTube channel where I shared some insights around how to create content while you’re running your business. I know you’re busy. I know you have a compressed schedule. I know there are not enough hours in the day to lead your team, take great care of clients, devote yourself to your family, your community, and the myriad of other roles and responsibilities that are important and you want to show for as your best self. And through all of that…you’re being encouraged to create weekly, if not daily, cornerstone content that firmly plants your flag — your point of view into solid ground — which becomes your thought leadership — and to do that in such a way it drives revenue back in

Nicole Holland is a podcast guesting authority who has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Huffington Post, as well as countless podcasts and virtual productions. She is often called upon to share her expertise with business owners throughout the United States and Canada who are interested in leveraging modern marketing strategies in order to increase their visibility, likability, and credibility. What you'll learn about in this episode: How podcast guesting can positively impact your business and your overall brand How to do podcast guesting the right way to maximize the positive influence it has on your business, brand, and sales How business owners can get their message out about their business, brand, and products How to build and scale a business for success after the early formative years Whys podcasts are a good opportunity to not just get a message out to the public, but also to build strong relationships How some guests are just trying to get their message on as many platforms as

Over the past two decades, Jon Tota has established himself as a pioneer in online education for corporate training. He began his career on Wall Street in sales and technology positions at PaineWebber and UBS. Then after years as a business analyst to some of the largest firms in financial services, Jon co-founded Edulence in 2002 to develop online training solutions for corporate educators. He now spends his time focused on discovering the best experts and helping them turn their knowledge into a subscription business on Knowledgelink. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Knowledgelink Network morphed in to what it is today Why you should turn your knowledge into a product and then scale it The power of having a positive focus The importance of building a strong team that will support you Why you need to be able to pivot and adapt as a business owner Why you should focus on profit margins rather than revenue growth A valuable lesson that taught Jon how to be secure when it comes to handling failure

Don Barden is a speaker, author, professor, and advisor. He is also someone who practices what he preaches. Don is the owner and managing partner of 3Ci – an Atlanta-based business and technology consulting firm employing over 300 people, diversified into leadership training, financial sales consulting, and technology staffing. His books are published in over 39 countries, including The Perfect Plan – revolutionary outcome of his 10-year global research study to discover what the world’s top performing business leaders and sales professionals do differently. And Don was awarded the distinction of being named one of The Top 30 Most Transformational Leaders 2017 in North America, by John Maxwell. What you'll learn about in this episode: The conversation that sparked Don’s curiosity for behavioral economics How there is a universal quality about people who perform at the highest levels in leadership Understanding why and how elite performers make the decisions that they do The value that comes from treating peo

Mary Shores is the founder and CEO of Midstate Collection Solutions — which has collected more than $40 million to date for its clients. As a speaker, entrepreneur, and CEO, she teaches business owners how to fearlessly create their own realities and reach their full potential by using her groundbreaking “Words That Work System.” Mary is also author of the book, “Conscious Communications: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Harnessing the Power of Your Words to Change Your Mind, Your Choices, and Your Life.” What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Mary’s “words that work” system was born Why you need to tell people what you can do rather than what you can’t do The value that comes from creating connections with your customers How your own belief systems can hold you back from living the life of your dreams Why you need to shift your energy and focus on a state of empowerment vs. disempowerment How Mary created the time to write her book, “Conscious Communications” The importance of setting up systems and process

John Oechsle is the President and CEO of Swiftpage — providing digital marketing and CRM solutions that help businesses grow, including Act!…their flagship and industry-leading software. He has an over 30-year track record of building highly profitable and sustainable revenue growth for emerging companies and established global leaders, including DigitalGlobe, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Land America Financial Group, and Kellogg Company. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you need to marry business and technology to be successful The #1 barrier that people need to overcome in order to scale The value that comes from getting everyone to move in the same direction The importance of creating a culture where everyone has a purpose Why you need to lay out a 90-day strategy plan A common mistake that many small businesses make How to be a fearless leader Why it’s important to have alignment and focus when going through a transformation Why you need to have courage, tenacity, and passion to thrive as a bu

Mike Compton is the co-founder and executive producer of Three Chairs Productions, a video production and marketing company that specializes in broadcast, online, and digital content serving a variety of regional and national clients. They help with the production of a client’s content, as well as manage, measure, and optimize video to drive greater results. Mike is passionate about producing strong creative videos that are engaging, stimulating, and empowering. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you need to build a culture — not just a brand Creating lists to help you stay focused on your most vital priorities Why you should start with small goals and build up from there The importance of nurturing the relationships that mean the most to you Staying focused on your goals at all times and keeping moving forward An important lesson that Mike learned about growing your business by doing the right thing Why building a strong network is critical for success today The value that comes from surrounding y

Our special encore guest today is Mitch Russo. In 1985, Mitch co-founded Timeslips Corp, which grew to become the largest time tracking software company in the world. Timeslips was later sold to Sage and Mitch went on to run all of Sage U.S. as Chief Operating Officer, a division with over 300 people. Later, Mitch joined Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins and together created Business Breakthroughs International, a company serving thousands of businesses a year with coaching, consulting, and training services. Today, Mitch helps companies with courses and training programs to get their students to complete their programs and be more successful. Now...you may remember Mitch and the wisdom he shared during Episodes 340 and 368. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 340 and 368 to your list of vital priorities. What you'll learn about in this episode: What Mitch enjoys most about his podcast, Your First Thousand Clients How ha

Jay Owen is the Founder and CEO of Design Extensions, a digital agency he started at the age of 17 — while still in high school — and continues to run today. His goal is to help businesses grow online, become more efficient through online marketing, and to create a better image and brand for themselves and their companies. Jay is also the host of the “Building a Business That Lasts” podcast, where he interviews other business owners who have over 10-years of experience and want to share their stories to help others. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why supportive relationships are so critical to long term success How building constraints into your calendar can help you create freedom Why you need to be producing cornerstone content Taking what you learn from the books that you read and applying it in your life Why it’s so important as a business owner to take the time to disconnect Why you need to build your business to sell How relationship development extends into every area of your business Why yo

Greg Gray is the Founder and CEO of Gray Solutions where he is a leadership and business consultant. He has a background in lean methods, project management, strategic planning, business development, operations management, and human capital. Greg and his team specialize in providing mentoring, training, and coaching to people and organizations in the industries of agriculture, manufacturing, franchising, biotechnology, textiles, services, insurance, and network marketing. He is also the host of the new podcast, “Business Owner Freedom.” What you'll learn about in this episode: Why we’re going to see a lot more consolidation in certain industries Why small business owners are craving tools and resources that larger corporations have had for a long time The story behind why Greg titled his podcast “Business Owner Freedom” and how he curates content around that topic Why a lot of business owners are “accidental” business owners Common obstacles that many business owners face when trying to get to the next level

Jordan Harbinger has always had an affinity for social influence, interpersonal dynamics, and social engineering...helping private companies test the security of their communications systems. He then spent several years abroad in Europe and the developing world, including South America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, and speaks several languages. He has also traveled through war-zones and been kidnapped...twice. He’ll tell you...the only reason he’s still alive is because of his ability to talk his way into...and out of...just about any type of situation. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Jordan got started in decoding human behavior The power of getting people to know, like and trust you and how that can be your competitive advantage How doing good things for other people will help get you what you want Why body language and non-verbal communication skills matter How Jordan’s podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, got its start The benefits of being insatiably curious How to improve your socia

Tom Kulzer is the founder and CEO at AWeber, a leading small business email marketing software, where he is actively involved in the company's strategic direction, growth, and evolution. Over the company's 20-year history, Tom has nurtured it from a small start-up to a robust organization serving over 100,000 customers, all without public or venture funding. He laid the foundation for AWeber while working at a computer hardware firm in the mid-90s where he realized sales prospects were falling through the cracks due to the lack of proper follow up. By automating the delivery of personalized follow-up emails to prospects, company-wide sales skyrocketed, and sales associates had additional time to spend pursuing new prospects. What you'll learn about in this episode: Reinventing yourself and your team as it grows Why you should focus on creating remarkable experiences Looking at how meaningful we can make relationships and connections in our lives Why you need to be adaptable as a business owner in order to th

Tracey Wozney is the founder and director of Taking Shape, a non-profit organization whose mission is to grow young leaders who impact others Here, Near and Far. She is the publisher of the STAR Leadership youth leadership curriculum program that is used by over 35 affiliate dance studios, youth clubs, and organizations throughout the nation. Tracey has recently launched a mission camp organization serving children in Port au Prince, Haiti where young leaders serve on a global front. Tracey is also a business owner of dance schools in rural Missouri for over 25 years and is an Enterprise member with Misty Lown’s More Than Just Great Dancing studio owner coaching program...and you may remember Misty as our guest here on Onward Nation for Episode 80 and 544. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Tracey’s farm background influenced her work ethic The passion and purpose behind Tracy’s non-profit, Taking Shape The importance of implementing the tools that you’re given How time management and prioritizatio