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

You may have heard me recently talking about point-of-view (POV) — why it is so important — and what can happen to a business if the owner doesn’t get serious about defining it — and building a strategy around it. Without a clearly defined POV, you will not be able to attract or retain the clients and prospects you want — and your biz dev strategy will suffer as a result. But...if you and your team do the hard work to gain clarity around your POV...why you do what you do...who you do it for...and for whom you don’t do it for...you will be able to attract the clients and prospects to your business who are exactly aligned with the sweet spot of your business. Originally, I considered making today’s episode a solocast -- where it would be just you and me exploring a topic without a guest. But — I changed my mind because I wanted you to have the benefit of getting some additional perspectives on this very critical topic...and I wanted you to get the perspectives from someone who has a real depth of knowledge not

Connor Gillivan is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of FreeeUp.com — the top marketplace to hire pre-vetted freelancers online in eCommerce, Amazon, digital marketing, advertising, web development and design. He has sold over $30 million online, has hired hundreds of freelancers to build his companies, is a published author, and is the owner of ConnorGillivan.com — a blog where he shares industry insights on lessons he’s learned in growing his first Amazon business and FreeeUp.com. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why Connor and Nathan founded FreeeUp.com and what makes it unique How FreeeUp.com offers 85 different freelance skill sets How short term planning and sharing ideas with others keeps you focused on your goals The importance of having an accountability partner Why having an outlet such as exercise at the end of your day to decompress is important The importance of building relationships with your customers How having a referral program and building partnerships can help your busin

Our special encore guest today is Nick Sonnenberg. He is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for creating companies that disrupt the way people live. Nick is the co-founder of Leverage and the co-author of the book “Idea to Execution”. His personal mission is to help busy entrepreneurs and executives optimize their lives in a meaningful way and help them go from idea to execution in as few steps as possible. Now...you may remember Nick and the wisdom he shared during Episode 431. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 431 to your list of vital priorities. What you'll learn about in this episode: The benefits of documenting, optimizing, and automating your processes The importance of having employees rotate throughout the company How success can be defined as working on the things you are passionate about Why there are many more levels to success than just the money component Why you always need to remain open minded a

Tom Carmazzi is the CEO of Tuthill Corporation, a privately held and 4th generation manufacturer of industrial products. His role is to bring to life the COMPASS of the corporation. The COMPASS is Tuthill’s version of a vision and mission statement, however, it is radically different from the norm. Their version is all about “ALIVENESS” with a “Purpose to Wake the World.” This HUGE undertaking requires a culture where folks want to live into their full potential not only for the company, but for their families, their communities, and the world. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why grace, gratitude, and love should be core components in your company culture The importance of accepting feedback and making changes where necessary Why you need to have daily discipline and accountability to stay the course Why your company structures and processes should have the goal of getting people together in relationships to bring their best How removing the fear from your employees helps them perform in remarkable

Dr. Steve Bistritz is the Founder and President of SellXL, a sales training and consulting firm for professional salespeople selling in a business-to-business environment. He has more than 40 years of high-tech sales, sales training, and sales management experience, including 27 years with IBM. He is also co-author of the best-selling sales book, “Selling to the C- Suite,” and the 2nd edition was just released. What you'll learn about in this episode: How writing a book can help your business by building credibility Why you need to get involved in the project early when selling to the C-Suite The importance of having a strong presence on LinkedIn Why companies are looking for the value you will bring to them How sales people identify the relevant executive for the sales opportunity How to take your cornerstone content and spread it across many platforms How to gain credibility with a C-Suite Executive Why referrals become your best source of your next client Why organization is a critical skill to master The

John Lincoln is the Co-founder and CEO of Ignite Visibility, a leading digital marketing agency that was ranked as the 698th fastest growing private company in America on the Inc. 5000 list in 2017. He’s also a digital marketing teacher at the University of California San Diego and author of the book, “Digital Influencer: A Guide to Achieving Influencer Status Online.” John has worked with hundreds of companies, ranging from startups to household names, and has won awards in search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization, analytics and social media. He’s also been featured on Forbes.com, Entrepreneur.com, and Inc.com. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why John decided to step out of the box and make movies around SEO and social media The positive outcomes of making the SEO and social media movies How the documentaries have impacted John’s business, Ignite Visibility The importance of being unique to stand out in the marketing space The importance of finding everyone you need to influence to

Jeanne Bliss is the President of CustomerBliss, where she guides C-Suite and Chief Customer Officers around the world on earning business growth by improving customers’ lives. She pioneered the role of Chief Customer Officer, holding the first ever CCO role for over 20 years at Lands’ End, Microsoft, Coldwell Banker, and Allstate where she drove achievement of 95 percent loyalty rates. Jean is a sought after speaker and thought-leader, co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association, and the author of three best-selling books, including the newly released, “Would You Do That To Your Mother?” What you'll learn about in this episode: Why Jeanne wrote her latest book “Would You Do That to Your Mother?” The importance of taking business personally How Jeanne’s book “Would You Do That to Your Mother?” can be helpful to every member of your organization Why you should strive for goodness driven growth within your organization The importance of connecting to your mission Why you need to earn the tru

Racheal Blackmore is the Founder and CEO of Blackmore Marketing Solutions, working with a limited number of clients to explode their brand, voice, and story through what she calls the omni-present digital footprint. She’s a successful copy and content writer specializing in brand recognition and digital marketing. Over the past 10 years, Racheal’s owned and managed businesses as well as ghost written for hundreds of companies, bloggers, and solopreneurs. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why vanity likes and content do not translate into sales How merging content, copy and true followers helps businesses grow The importance of posting content that is relevant to your business Why you need to share your business story Why your business needs a content mission statement How businesses create followers with content that resonates with customers The benefits of outsourcing as much as you can once you have your mission statement The value of consistently producing great content and engaging with your audie

Our special encore guest today is Sheryl O’Loughlin. She is a serial entrepreneur and author of KILLING IT! An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart. She has served as the CEO of Clif Bar, where she led the concept development and introduction of Luna bars. Sheryl is currently CEO of REBBL, a fast-growing maker of plant-based drinks. Now...you may remember Sheryl and the wisdom she shared during Episode 428. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all she shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 428 to your list of vital priorities. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to get through challenging situations one step at a time The importance of nurturing the people you work with so they are able to share their feelings The vital role culture plays in your business The importance of hiring people who have experience in scaling a businesses Why as a company you have to stand behind your brand to gain customer loyalty The importance o

Lane O’Bryon is the president and founder of Capital Connection, providing access to the best sources of real estate capital. He’s been active in the lending industry for over 17 years and has successfully helped thousands of his clients fund both residential and commercial transactions. Lane has also coached, mentored, and trained hundreds of finance brokers on the secrets of the top producers. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Capital Connection serves as a valuable resource for real estate investors and finance brokers Why investors struggle to gain access to capital The definition of a hard money loan Why Lane feels crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending will be the lending of the future Why many of the lending platforms are not good at marketing The typical investor profile that Capital Connection works with Why banking restrictions have left many investors needing to seek funding from an alternative source Why business owners who are interested in real estate investing need to have a strategy

Jeff Piersall is the Founder and CEO of SCB Marketing, an award-winning, multimillion-dollar integrated media and marketing company that connects, empowers and educates entrepreneurs, business leaders, and communities through its four business and lifestyle journals, numerous specialty publications, and marketing services. He is co-author of the new book, “Dogs Don’t Bark at Parked Cars: Your GPS in an Era of Hyper-Change” - a motivational guide for success in a continually changing business environment that transcends generations and professions. What you'll learn about in this episode: The purpose and mission behind “Dogs Don’t Bark at Parked Cars: Your GPS in an Era of Hyper-Change” The biggest drivers of change that will affect businesses in the future The impending impact of 70 percent of existing businesses changing hands or going out of business over the next 8 years Why a large number of companies have gone extinct due to changing technology The four pillars of freedoms and why they are important The

James Whittaker is the author of the newly released book “Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy” and co-executive producer of the film of the same name. With a diverse entrepreneurial background, he’s launched successful companies and products across a range of industries. James has also interviewed more than 100 of the world’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to unlock their secrets to success. His mission is to share the success habits of high performers to give people of all backgrounds the tools to take ownership of their financial, physical, and mental health. What you'll learn about in this episode: How all works in the self-help field stem from “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill The importance of finding a way to connect with your audience How success can be obtained by a consistent application of a proven set of success principles Why you need to be mindful of the people you spend the most time with Why James feels the first principle of desire in “Think and Grow Rich” is important

Matt Heinz is the President and Founder of Heinz Marketing, with 20 years of marketing, business development, and sales experience from a variety of organizations and industries. He is also a speaker, author, and nationally recognized, award-winning blogger. Matt has helped organizations such as Amazon, Seagate, Morgan Stanley, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and many others create predictable, repeatable sales & marketing engines to fuel growth and is also a repeat winner of Top 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management and Top 50 Sales & Marketing Influencers. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of creating a business that allows you to live the life you want Why working with clients that respect your values and your team is important The power of recognizing the work of your team members on a daily basis The importance of regularly reinforcing your core values Why Matt creates a “daily do” list each day The importance of staying calm in moments of turmoil Why

Ray Rothrock is CEO of RedSeal, a premier cybersecurity analytics platform. RedSeal’s corporate customers span the finance, utility, technology, and retail sectors and their government clients include defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. He is also author of the newly released book, “Digital Resilience: Is Your Company Ready for the Next Cyber Threat?” What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you can’t predict where the next cyber threat will come from The importance of being prepared to respond to cyber threats with the right people, systems, strategy and processes How RedSeal helps businesses prepare for any potential cyber attack Why the biggest cyber threat to businesses today is phishing The importance of having your internet traffic filtered Why some businesses should consider outsourcing their cyber security Why you need to put cyber risk into numbers that management can understand The important role of your Chief Information Security Officer Why planning is the most critical part of bein

Mike Robbins is the author of four books, including his latest, “Bring Your Whole Self to Work: How Vulnerability Unlocks Creativity, Connection, and Performance.” He's a former professional baseball player, sought-after keynote speaker, and thought-leader whose been working with Fortune 500 companies for the past 17 years - helping leaders, teams, and organizations thrive. Mike’s clients include Google, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, eBay, and many others. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of appreciating your journey while it’s happening Why being fulfilled is more of an artform than a science What the fundamental difference is between recognition and appreciation The importance of hiring the right people that fit with your culture Why you need to consciously and continuously build your culture Why culture is more important than strategy Why you need to bring your whole self to work How psychological safety helps create high performing teams Why micromanaging creates an environment where emp

Today on Onward Nation we're going to be talking about the topic of how to monetize content. It’s a big topic -- and to do it justice -- it needs to be sliced and diced into smaller bite-sized pieces. Go here for full show notes: https://predictiveroi.com/podcasts/stephen-woessner-solocast-episode-77/

Brett Gilliland is founder and CEO of Elite Entrepreneurs, which specializes in helping business owners who are running companies that generate a million dollars or more in annual revenue by giving them the knowledge, tools, and processes they need grow and scale to $10 million and beyond. He’s an expert in organization development, leadership, and strategy and spent 10 years helping Infusionsoft grow from $7 million in annual revenue to over $100 million. One of Brett’s favorite professional accomplishments is co-creating Infusionsoft’s Elite Forum alongside CEO Clate Mask and building the Elite business inside of Infusionsoft. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of scaling a company with a culture that you are passionate about How Brett’s path and journey led to him to co-create Infusionsoft’s Elite Forum How Elite Forum helps small businesses scale and be built to last The predictable stages that all small businesses grow through The importance of transitioning your mindset from entrep

Clate Mask is the CEO and co-founder of Infusionsoft, the leading all-in-one sales and marketing software built for small businesses and eight-time Inc. 500 or Inc. 5000 winner. Clate was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, a Top 100 Small Business Influencer by Small Business Trends, and one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2013 by Goldman Sachs. Clate is a national speaker on entrepreneurship and small business success, and he is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book, “Conquer the Chaos: How to Grow a Successful Small Business Without Going Crazy.” What you'll learn about in this episode: Why the challenges of being an entrepreneur never go away Why every service business should build a productized component to what they do The advantages of delivering your product on a subscription basis The importance of targeting customers who need the product you are offering Why you need to have discipline to say no to the wrong customers Why businesses that have cap

Judith Humphrey is the founder of The Humphrey Group, a premier leadership communications firm. She is a communications expert whose business teaches global clients how to communicate as confident and compelling leaders. Judith is the author of three books including the upcoming “Impromptu: Leading in the Moment”, an acclaimed speaker, and a columnist for Fast Company. And in 2012, Judith was the recipient of the prestigious YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Entrepreneurship. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of making your message inspirational to the audience Why inspirational leadership is critical Why leadership today has nothing to do with your title, your rank, or your power Why Judith felt it was important to write her latest book “Impromptu: Leading in the Moment” Why business owners need to train and prepare themselves for impromptu speaking Why listening is very important in impromptu speaking The importance of knowing your audience and reading them well Judith explains the

Al Harris was a founding partner of the Chicago law firm of Ungaretti & Harris, which in 2015, merged with the national law firm of Nixon Peabody. At Ungaretti & Harris, he served for many years as managing partner and then as a member of its Executive and Compensation Committees. Al is co-author with his wife, Andie Kramer, of the book Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work, which was named one of the best business books of 2016 by Women@Work. He is also the co-author of over 150 articles and blog posts on promoting diversity and overcoming stereotypes and biases. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why Al and his wife Andie were committed to writing “Breaking Through Bias” How many well intentioned businesses often times have unconscious biases The importance of overcoming the affinity bias How the negative bias pigeonholes women How the agentic bias affects women in the workplace Why every business must assume that some level of gender bias is occurring w