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

Our special encore guest today is Melinda Emerson. Melinda is the founder and president of the Quintessence Group, an award-winning marketing consulting firm with notable clients including FedEx, Verizon, Xerox, and American Express. She is also the host of #Smallbizchat, the longest running live chat on Twitter for small business owners. Melinda’s small business advice is widely read reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online and she was named the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter by Forbes Magazine. And the author of the new book, “Fix Your Business”. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why Melinda wrote her book “Fix Your Business” What the 12 “P”s are for running a successful business The importance of focusing on your most high value activities Why having a 90-day turnaround plan for your business is critical to your success What the three “people issues” are in your business The importance of having a mobile ready website Why having a business that works well for you

Our special encore guest today is Mark Faust. He is an expert on growth strategy, sales, and performance improvement. For the last 27 years, Mark has run Echelon Management, a growth consulting firm. He is an advisor on company boards and he has conducted hundreds of sessions for dozens of the worlds largest companies including John Deere, Apple, Bayer, IBM, P&G, and over four dozen third-generation family owned companies and many start ups. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How growth is an aspect of strategy How all growth happens through relationships The benefits of reading “High-Growth Levers” together as a company Having quarterly depth interviews with your customers to nurture relationships The importance of asking your customers how you can help them grow Why the two core functions of business are marketing and innovation How success is a combination of defining the direction and the journey towards the path How management can intensify focus How to pivot from your competitors and leverage

Good Morning – I’m Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and host of Onward Nation. And welcome to Episode 710 – this week’s solocast. Well, this is a solocast with a twist. If you have been listening to Onward Nation for a while now – you know that sometimes I take an interview where I was a guest on someone else’s show – and we essentially re-air it during my solocast. I do this from time-to-time for several reasons. First...doing this is an excellent opportunity for you to hear me in the hot seat per se. Someone gets to fire questions my way – and in the process – I get to share perspectives, insights, opinions, or strategies that I might not normally think to share during an interview with one of our Onward Nation or one of my solocasts. Second...by doing this I am able to introduce you to another host who I think has some chops – someone who has an interesting point-of-view – or someone who I enjoyed talking with. Which is definitely the case with Stephanie Scheller. Stephanie and I met through an intr

Anne Bahr Thompson is the Founder and Chief Strategist of Onesixtyfourth — a boutique consultancy that integrates cultural shifts and a social conscience into brand development. Anne was named a 2018 Top Thought Leader in Trust. She’s the pioneer of the Brand Citizenship movement and has more than 25-years of experience as a global brand strategist, including a former executive director of strategy and planning and head of consulting at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy. Anne is also an accomplished researcher, speaker, and the author of the new book, “DO GOOD: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit.” What you’ll learn about in this episode: What Anne’s trend research in 2011 showed regarding people’s views on corporate citizenship A breakdown of the meaning and implications of Brand Citizenship The five step model of how Brand Citizenship moves across the Me-to-We continuum Why trust is the first step in the Me-to-We continuum of Brand Citizenship Why consumers are looki

Lee Caraher started Double Forte in 2002 as a new kind of communications firm designed to provide the best service in the business. Lee has managed multiple offices and hundreds of people of all ages and was named in the 40 under 40 by PRWEEK Magazine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in medieval history — which she finds useful every day. You may also remember Lee and the wisdom she shared during episodes 180, 269, 523, 669, and 680 of Onward Nation. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all that Lee shared during our earlier interviews...I highly encourage you to add her episodes to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why you need to pay attention to all your social media channels Why you should purchase any URLs that could be associated with your business The importance of using alerts on social media platforms Why you should have a set time to monitor your social media throughout the week The importance of having a plan for handling negative comments on social

Rob Dube is President and Co-Founder of imageOne, the leading organization in Document Lifecycle Management, which is well-known as an exceptional company, receiving local and national recognition for its multi-award-winning culture, including being ranked as one of the Top 25 Small Businesses in America on the 2017 list of Forbes Small Giants and one of Inc. 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. Rob is also the author of “donothing™: the most rewarding leadership challenge you will ever take” and organizer of the donothing™ leadership silent retreat. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The importance of staying focused on your business’ core competency How focusing your time allows you to accomplish great things Why your organization needs to define its values Using meditation to enhance your leadership skills The value of open-book management and how it helps your business become stronger Why listening and being present for the conversation is the most critical skill to master How to ma

Susan Berkley is one of the most listened to voices in America. She’s a top voice-over artist and telephone voice for Citibank and many others. An internationally known communications expert, Susan is the author of “Speak To Influence: How To Unlock The Hidden Power Of Your Voice” and her latest book, “The Persuasion Code.” She is president and founder of The Great Voice Company and provides training in persuasive speaking techniques for business and sales professionals worldwide, as well as training in voice-over technique. A former radio personality and frequent media guest, she has been featured in on ABC News, CNBC, To Tell The Truth, and in The NY Times, The LA Times, and Business Week. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How business owners can speak to influence The importance of meeting your audience at a level where they know you care How business owners can make the most of all points of contact Why speaking is one of the most powerful ways to grow your business Why we have to be an enhanced v

Good Morning...I’m Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and host of Onward Nation – and I’d like to welcome you to Episode 705...this week’s solocast. In case you’re new to Onward Nation...a solocast is where you and I take a deep dive into a topic...just you and me...without a guest. And this one-on-one opportunity provides the necessary time to really explore a topic with some depth. And during a solocast, I typically share my point-of-view – when relevant – on trends my team and I are watching play out with business owners every day in the marketplace. Or, I may share the most important lessons I am learning during conversations with other owners either during our Onward Nation episodes – sometimes during the recording or behind-the-green-curtain discussion I get to have – or – when I am out on the road teaching at conferences, or the new tools and tech I am learning about during mastermind sessions, or weekly check-ins with my accountability partners. So these solocasts are the place where I can share

Our special encore guest today is Thor Conklin. He is an entrepreneur, profitability consultant, and host of his daily podcast, Peak Performers. The first company he created was a global risk management consulting firm that served the private equity community. His top 15 clients had a combined revenue of $12.7 billion and operated in over 100 countries worldwide. Now...you may remember Thor and the wisdom he shared during Episode 493. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 493 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why you should constantly evaluate your peer groups The importance of surrounding yourself with mentors that are accomplishing amazing things Why you don’t need to learn more, you just need to do what you know The lesson of “just start” and why your product or service will improve over time Why consistency is the key to improving and honing your business How having a visio

Russell Whitney is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a recognized worldwide leader in the business, real estate investment, and financial training fields. Over the past 15-years, he has traveled the world speaking to audiences and has spoken alongside luminaries including Robert Kiyosaki and Tony Robbins always spreading his message of how to take immediate action to achieve financial goals and dreams by following his easy-to-follow, step-by-step process. It was during that time he met his success coach, mentor, and eventual business partner, Kevin Harrington, one of the original sharks on “Shark Tank.” Today you can find Russell speaking at events all across the country, giving his students the tools, guidance and knowledge they need to be wildly successful in their fields. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The importance of seeking out help and not trying to do it all on your own How seeking out coaching and mentoring can help shortcut your process Why you should always be transparent in life and

Our special encore guest today is Daina Middleton. She is the CEO of a leading national to local marketing company, Ansira. Prior to heading up Ansira, Daina served as the head of global business-to-business marketing at Twitter as well as successful leadership positions at Performics, Moxy Interactive, and 16 years at Hewlett Packard. Daina is also the author of two books: “Marketing in the Participation Age” and “Grace Meets Grit.” Now...you may remember Daina and the wisdom she shared during Episode 397. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all she shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 397 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why it’s so critical now, more than ever, to brand to local space Why you need to have both a local and a national brand relationship with your customers How your mindset has such an impact on your influence potential Why, as a leader, it’s about empowering others…not about having power over others

Brandon Bruce is the chief operating officer and co-founder of Cirrus — an all-in-one sales productivity platform that connects Gmail and Outlook with Salesforce. Since launching the business in 2011, the company has grown to $12 million in annual revenue, 65 employees, and was ranked #41 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies in 2016. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Focusing on your customers: the key to getting any business off the ground How starting a business is like an endurance sport rather than a sprint The importance of looking towards and planning for the future to ensure you are prepared for changes when they arise How entrepreneurs are able to pursue many different interests within their business Why reading is an important daily habit How daily exercise can help clear your mind and stimulate new ideas Focusing on the right things first: an important skill to master The importance of making decisions quickly The influential lesson of meeting with anyone, anywhere, at anytime W

Our special encore guest today is Kathy Kolbe. She is the global leader in discovering and accessing the power of human instincts. She is an acclaimed theorist, bestselling author, entrepreneur, educator, organizational strategist, consultant and speaker, and is the founder of Kolbe Corp and Dynamynd, Inc. Now...you may remember Kathy and the wisdom she shared during Episode 466. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all she shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 466 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How OPgig can help guide individuals into careers suited for who they are How OPgig can show you which jobs are available in your area that are suited to you The negative consequences of working with others who work and think like we do The importance knowing who we are and valuing our own abilities The value of seeking people who have differing abilities than our own to work with The pitfalls of the narrow-minded thinking of

Our special encore guest today is Bill Jelen and he is the host of MrExcel.com and the author of 54 books about Microsoft Excel including “Excel Gurus Gone Wild”, “Pivot Table Data Crunching”, “Power Pivot Alchemy” and “MrExcel Live”. Before founding MrExcel.com in 1998, Jelen spent 12-years “in the trenches”, as a financial analyst for the accounting, finance, marketing, and operations departments of a publicly held company. Since then, his company automates Excel reports for hundreds of clients around the world. The website answers over 30,000 questions a year for free for readers all over the world. You may remember Bill and the wisdom he shared during Episode 131. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 131 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How to stay focused on your goals by avoiding distractions The benefits of tackling your most important tasks first The value of taking c

Andie Kramer is an attorney and partner in the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery where she heads its Financial Products, Trading, and Derivatives Group. She’s an influential voice in her field, praised for her significant contributions to tax policy. Andie was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal and along with her husband, Al Harris, wrote the book Breaking Through Bias – Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why Andie feels it is important to speak and write about how women can overcome gender bias in the workplace The stereotypes women encounter within the workplace The differences between how men and women talk about their accomplishments How businesses can do a better job in avoiding stereotypes and bias Why not watching television can make your success more efficient and effective The benefits of having a coping sense of humor in challenging situations The importance of havi

Today’s episode is going to be different from any other -- in fact -- it is fair to say that today’s episode will be another powerful lesson on how outward success is an inside job. Our special encore guest today is Bobby Albert and he is the CEO and President of Values-Driven Leadership, LLC, which is focused on teaching others the growth enabling potential of building foundational values into company culture. He is also author of the book “Principled Profits — Outward Success Is an Inside Job,” where he pinpoints specific, time-tested principles that can supercharge any enterprise. You may remember Bobby and the wisdom he shared during Episode 399. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 399 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The benefits of having a mindset to simply make a difference every day Confidence, contentment, and courage: three ways to define success How to become a m

Today’s episode is going to be different from any other -- in fact -- it is fair to say that today’s episode will be another powerful lesson on why you shouldn’t try to be everything to everybody. Our special encore guest today is Bobby Klinck and he is an online entrepreneur and intellectual property attorney. He helps businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs harness the power of their intellectual property rights. He is also the founder of Your Online Genius, LLC, which helps entrepreneurs protect their online businesses by giving them access to the information and resources they need. You may remember Bobby and the wisdom he shared during Episode 498. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all he shared during our first interview...I highly encourage you to add Episode 498 to your list of vital priorities. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The basic legal protections all business owners need to have done The importance of speaking with a CPA when setting up your business Why every importa

Good Morning, I’m Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and your host for Onward Nation. Welcome to Episode 695 – this week’s solocast. I greatly appreciate your time and am grateful that you decided to share some of your precious 86,400 seconds that you have today with me – thank you, Onward Nation. Before we dive into how to recognize and solve what may be the two biggest challenges or obstacles to scaling your business...I want to provide some additional context as to why I chose this topic for our time together today. You might recall that in Episode 685...you and I took a deep dive into the Imposter Syndrome. We defined it and then sliced apart the Syndrome’s two main ingredients so you could recognize it whenever it rises up to block you on your path to success. However, when I went back through my notes for Episode 685 and re-listened to the content...I realized that the ingredients I shared were a bit incomplete because they weren’t part of a more comprehensive recipe including more ingredients and

Rob Emrich is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Gimbal, which was named the fastest-growing tech company by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2016 and ranked #66 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2017. Gimbal is the market leader in the emerging category of physical world marketing automation. The company counts over 10,000 end customers including Ford, Citibank, Walgreens, and other Fortune 500 firms. Rob has been featured in the The New York Times Bestselling book The Lean Entrepreneur & 21 Questions for 21 Millionaires. He has been recognized by the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and “Forty under 40.” What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why having a strong online presence depends on how efficient your marketing is How marketing successfully and determining ROI can help grow a company quickly How simplifying the supply chain can equal higher ROI to your customers The benefits of using physical world data for marketing pu

Larry Haas is the Founder and CEO of Global Aperture Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in helping companies transform to achieve their strategic goals in industries such as Aerospace and Defense, Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Nonprofits. Prior to founding Global Aperture, Larry served as a consultant and leader in several organizations including Procter and Gamble, Boeing, and as an officer and program manager in the United States Air Force. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The definition of an “SOS moment” Setting clear priorities for your day: an important daily habit Why you should turn your phone off during your work day Avoiding procrastination on your high priorities Why you should not take criticism or critique from clients personally Being flexible and open in your business The importance of being connected to your customers The influential lesson of “assume any and all authority, not specifically denied” When starting a business, find an enduring need that is growing The