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

Gal Ratner is an award winning technology veteran. He is the co-founder and CEO of ShopSnap, a modern e-commerce platform and the founder and CEO of Inverted Software, a software consulting firm in Los Angeles. With over 20 years of software experience, his designs are responsible for powering Fortune 500 companies in multiple industries. Gal led international teams on major financial, media and entertainment, gaming and e-commerce projects. Some of his projects include Microsoft’s Windows 8 download manager, the Volusion eco system, Rockstar Games’s online store, and ShoppingCart.NET, which he wrote as a pet project and was the most downloaded .NET shopping cart on the Microsoft App Gallery. Gal is also an open source community supporter and contributor with projects ranging in capacity from parallel workflow processing frameworks to extensible caching systems. He is an avid blogger and enjoys passing his extensive software knowledge on to upcoming talent. What you'll learn about in this episode Gal's backg

Bill Watkins is a West Point graduate, decorated Army officer, world-class athlete, corporate executive, and an entrepreneur who took his business from his garage to an eight-figure enterprise before he sold it. As co-founder of the Rusty Lion Academy, Bill now connects to and coaches successful men seeking more significance, clarity, wealth, fun, freedom, joy, and control in both their businesses and lives. He leverages his story of financial success combined with nearly catastrophic personal failure to shortcut men beyond such catastrophes and toward permanent growth using proven, proprietary methods. What you’ll learn about in this episode Bill’s journey Owning your morning to build your perfect day with Bill’s weekday warrior morning Bill’s priority management system that helps him focus his time Saying no to unimportant many and saying yes to the critical few The disease of yes The 25-year desired future: writing the life you want to live The seven freedoms Getting clear on what you’re deeply passionate

In 1985, Mitch co-founded Timeslips Corp, which grew to become the largest time tracking software company in the world. In 1994, Timeslips was sold to Sage. While at Sage, 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 as President of Chet Holmes, International. Soon thereafter Mitch and Chet, along with Tony Robbins, created Business Breakthroughs International, a company serving thousands of businesses a year with coaching, consulting, and training services. Mitch was the President and CEO for four years. After the untimely death of Chet, Mitch left Business Breakthroughs to help CEOs build their own “Invisible Organization” using the principles outlined in this powerful book. What you’ll learn about in this episode What Mitch does with the first 60 minutes of his day Mitch’s daily initiaives list Mitch’s favorite quote from Steve Jobs that helps him stay on track Why you should never compare yourself to others — only the y

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation…welcome to Episode 367…I’m Stephen Woessner. Before we dig deep into today’s solocast and the lesson I prepared for you — I want to take a minute to say thank you! Thank you because as we rapidly close in on our 400th episode — amazing — 400!!! — we are experiencing another level of growth. Downloads worldwide are up, the number of countries we are reaching on a daily basis continues to increase, the number of guests reaching out to us requesting to be on our show is up, and the amazing — awesome — and incredible feedback we receive from you, Onward Nation — is up. And I want you to know how much you being here and making what we do part of your daily routine means so much to my team and me. We are very g

Jay Samit is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on disruption and innovation. He launches billion dollar businesses, transforms industries, revamps government institutions, and for over three decades continues to be at the forefront of global trends. Jay helped grow pre-IPO companies such as Linkedin and eBay, held senior management roles at Sony and Universal Studios, pioneered breakthroughs in mobile video, Internet advertising, e-commerce, social networks, ebooks, and digital music used by billions of consumers every day. Jay is also the consummate dealmaker; his list of partners and associates reads like a who’s who including Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Steve Jobs, Reid Hoffman, David Geffen, Richard Branson, and Paul Allen. Jay also serves as an adjunct professor at USC and is author of the internationally best-selling book “Disrupt You! Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation.” Could have ruined your business – but now – an in

Al Pittampalli started his career as an IT consultant for Ernst & Young where he advised Fortune 500 organizations all over the country. This is where he first realized that mediocrity and ingrained stubbornness were epidemics. Al now helps organizations like NASA, Hewlett Packard, Abbot Labs, transform their organizational cultures. He is the author of two books that help individuals and organizations adapt to a fast changing world. In latest book, “Persuadable: How Great Leaders Change Their Minds to Change the World,” Al uses decades of social science to reveal how being persuadable is not only the right thing to do, its the smart thing to do and creates a powerful advantage in both business and life. Secret – timesaving technique Al takes time every day to prioritize work with his program manager -- 20% of what you do contributes 80% of your results. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Tap into your creativity -- Al starts each day by following Julia Cameron's Morning Pages strategy. Could

As President and CBO (Chief Bargain Officer) of the Bargains Group, Jody has mobilized her award-winning discount wholesale and promotional products company to revolutionize the business landscape. A winner of the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, and a PROFIT W100 Recipient, Jody Steinhauer uses her network of resources and leveraged buying power to aid every company and not-for-profit agency that she touches to maximize their buying dollar. Since 1988, Jody has grown Bargains Group from her apartment to a multi-million-dollar-a-year business. Jody is also an official Huffington Post blogger. What do you do in the first 60 minutes of your day? Jody sets two alarms so she wakes up in time, visualizes her day while in bed, listens to the news, goes into her personal email, drops off her kids at school, and then jumps into a conference call in the car. ONWARD! Favorite quote or lesson? Be comfortable in your own skin. How do you define success? Success is different in ever

Jon Levy is a human behavior scientist who studies influence and adventure. Fast Company called him “the most well-connected behavior scientist you’ve never heard of.” He helps companies brilliantly transform how they approach marketing, sales, influencers program development, consumer engagement, and product design. His “Influencers Model for Engagement” inspires fresh approaches to marketing, sales, innovation, PR, events, product design, customer relationships and building brand loyalty. Jon's book, “The 2 AM Principle: Discover The Science of Adventure”, was released on Tuesday. The book highlights his discovery of The EPIC Model of Adventure - A four stage processes that when applied makes every experience more exciting and adventurous. Daily habit that contributes to success Get the sleep you need -- Jon doesn't set alarms and never has a morning meeting. Most influential lesson learned from a mentor "What defines the quality of our lives are the people we surround ourselves with."   Final Round – “Brea

Today’s show is really special — we have two Onward Nation alums returning for what will be a fast-paced, practical and tactical discussion around how business owners can get funded — fast. You may remember Judy Robinett as our guest in Episode 329. Judy gives speeches worldwide on business strategy and high-end strategic networking to specific outcomes. Judy has served as the CEO of both public and private companies and in management positions at Fortune 500 companies. She has been on the advisory boards of several prominent venture capital firms and is the author of “How to Be a Power Connector: The 5-50-100 Rule”. Judy’s business partner in Crack the Funding Code is John Livesay. John was our guest in Judy’s business partner in Crack the Funding Code is John Livesay. John was our guest in Episode 360 and he is an expert at helping CEOs craft a compelling pitch that engages investors in a way that inspires them to join a startup’s team. INC Magazine calls John “The Pitch Whisperer” and he also the author of

On his 35th birthday Mike Michalowicz had founded and sold two multi-million dollar companies. Confident that he had the formula to success, he became an angel investor and proceeded to lose his entire fortune. Then he started all over again, driven to find better ways to grow healthy, strong companies. Among other innovative strategies, Mike created the Profit First Formula, a way for businesses to ensure profitability from their very next deposit forward. Mike is now running his third million dollar venture, is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal; is the former MSNBC business make-over expert; is a popular keynote speaker on innovative entrepreneurial topics; and is the author of Surge, Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, which BusinessWeek deemed the entrepreneurs cult classic. Secret – timesaving technique Mike tells himself that he is the most impactful small business author of this century -- before the world sees something in you -- you need to se

John Livesay is a funding strategist and helps CEOs craft a compelling pitch that engages investors in a way that inspires them to join a startup’s team. He is partners with Judy Robinett in “Crack The Funding Code”, which gets founders — funded — fast. He hosts “The Successful Pitch podcast” with investors from around the world. He is the Pitch Mentor at Startfast.net, the number one accelerator in Upstate New York. INC magazine calls John “The Pitch Whisperer.” After a successful 20 year career in media sales with Conde Nast where he worked across all 22 brands in their corporate division, John won salesperson of the year in 2012. John is also the author of The Successful Pitch: Conversations On Going From Invisible To Investable. Secret – timesaving technique John prepares and stacks his "moments of certainty" -- investors give money to those who are confident. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Plan tomorrow today -- John writes down the three things he must get done. Could have ruined your b

Robert Mallon is a nationally recognized professional speaker, business coach, and mentor. For the first 20 years of his life, he was a successful executive in the restaurant and software industries. In 2002, he hired a coach who helped him become a motivational speaker. Since then, he has delivered nearly 2,000 full-day seminars and inspired thousands to achieve their unrealized potential. And over more than a decade as a business coach, he has personally helped hundreds of people with their leadership, business, and life. Secret – timesaving technique Robert has a weekday warrior morning program -- spend your morning on what's important for preparing for your day. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Set good goals -- Robert takes steps each day to accomplish his goals. Could have ruined your business – but now – an invaluable learning experience Robert lost his wife to cancer -- and Robert tells the whole story here.   Final Round – “Breaking Down the Recipe for Success” What strategy would you

The Wall Street Journal calls Chad Hymas one of the 10 most inspirational people in the world! In 2001, at the age of 27, Chad's life changed in an instant when a 2,000-pound bale of hay shattered his neck leaving him a quadriplegic. But Chad’s dreams were not paralyzed that day he became an example of what is possible. Chad inspires, motivates, and moves audiences, creating an experience that touches hearts for a lifetime. Chad is a best-selling author, president of his own Communications Company, Chad Hymas Communications, Inc. and is a world-class wheelchair athlete. Chad’s speaking in the areas of leadership, team building, customer service, and mastering change has brought him multiple honors. He has graced the stage of hundreds of professional and civic organizations including Wells Fargo, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T, Rainbird, IHC, American Express, and Prudential. Favorite quote or lesson? "Fear can be a marvelous teacher." How do you define success? Success is knowing that those that know you th

Dr. Marcie Beigel has been redesigning behavior for professionals, families, schools, and businesses for over 15 years. Her specialty is engaging with behaviors directly and giving clear and insightful directives to clients ­­ who are oftentimes ­­ business owners looking for balance at home to help create balance at work or new approaches to become better leaders. Her approach is heartfelt, but filled with tough love. You can get her weekly behavior newsletter at BehaviorAndBeyond.net. Dr. Marcie is also featured on NBC's Parenting Toolkit. Why did you write your book? Dr. Marcie had people come up to her for years asking for her to write a book -- and she talked to people that read books like the one she would be writing so that she would have content that would connect with her readers and not just content that she would enjoy. What have been the big benefits of the book? Writing a book will get people to take you more seriously -- and Dr. Marcie has found that people are more willing to dive in deep with

Jeanne Bliss is the Founder and President of CustomerBliss, and the Co-Founder of The Customer Experience Professionals Association. She is one of the foremost experts on customer-centric leadership and the role of the Chief Customer Officer. She guides C-Suite and Chief Customer Officer clients around the world toward earning the right to business growth and prosperity, by improving customers’ lives. Jeanne pioneered the role of the Chief Customer Officer, holding the first ever CCO role at Lands’ End, Microsoft, Coldwell Banker, and Allstate Corporations. She has driven achievement of 95 percent loyalty rates, improving customer experiences across 50,000-person organizations. Jeanne is also the author of the groundbreaking book, “Chief Customer Officer.” Secret – timesaving technique Jeanne writes a to-do list by sending texts to herself -- she then deletes the texts when they are completed -- stay focused on what you need to accomplish. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Make sure you have tim

Lori Jones is the President and CEO of Avocet Communications and brings top retail, consumer product, business-to-business and nonprofit organizations knowledge and experience in all aspects of integrated marketing to clients. Her experience with Fortune 500 brands and entrepreneurial start-ups, enables her to contribute a keen understanding of the intricacies today’s businesses. Lori is also the host of the brilliant podcast, Integrate and Ignite, recently launched on iTunes and soaring up the charts. You may also remember Lori and the wisdom she shared during episodes 130 and 280 of Onward Nation. If you haven’t listened to, studied, and applied all that Lori shared during our first interview…we highly encourage you to add episode 130 and 280 to your list of vital priorities. What is your show structure? Integrate and Ignite explores the nature of what it means to be an entrepreneur. She interviews startup entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 CEOs about a number of topics including philosophy and leadership. What

J.D. Graffam is a user experience expert and business leader. He founded his first business, Simple Focus, a digital experience company, in 2009. Today, his holding company, Graffam Companies, manages three digital agencies and six product businesses, all of which are bootstrapped and profitable. In his industry, he co-founded “CSS Off”, the world’s first philanthropic CSS contest, speaks nationally about creative leadership, user experience, and business, and is the author of the book “CSS for Print Designers.” Secret – timesaving technique J.D. has three rules for processing information -- and it begins with putting personal communication first. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Take care of yourself -- J.D. works on his physical well-being and is present for his family. Could have ruined your business – but now – an invaluable learning experience J.D. had his two biggest customers let him go within the same week -- and J.D. tells the whole story here. Most critical skill you think business ow

Thomas Lindsay has 20 years of insurance and professional employer organization (or PEO) industry experience in C-level management, focusing on all aspects of workers compensation, risk management, loss control, employee benefits, HR, and payroll. He recently resigned as the COO of a large PEO and is currently the owner and CEO of Humanly HR, a PEO services sales organization, and founder and host of SmallBiz Brainiac, a podcast providing employer intelligence to small business owners. His goal is for his clients to thrive as an employer and become a leader in their industry. Secret – timesaving technique Thomas turns off his phone, turns the notifications off on his computer, and closes the door -- eliminate distractions so that you can focus on what needs to get done. ONWARD! Daily habit that contributes to success Keep track of your important ideas -- Thomas writes down his thoughts and then implements the important ones into his CRM. Could have ruined your business – but now – an invaluable learning exper

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media. Good Morning Onward Nation…welcome to Episode 352…I’m Stephen Woessner. I am really looking forward to this solocast — because — we are going to tackle what I am beginning to consider as the most expensive money draining constraint inside any business. And I suppose it is not fair or accurate to say inside any business — because this mistake actually happens inside us. It is something that is completely within our control — and to make matters worse — it is a constraint we put into place — and it keeps us from moving forward. That constraint is the Imposter Syndrome, Onward Nation. After interviewing nearly 400 of today’s top business owners around the world — I can tell you with 100 percent certainty — that every single person who

Steve Goldstein is a proven leader who has held executive positions with leading global brands, such as Chairman and CEO of American Express Bank, President of Sears Credit, and Citigroup, as well as several early-stage enterprises. Steve has been an investor, advisor, and interim CEO for more than 10 venture backed e-commerce companies. He currently works in the private equity industry as a Senior Advisor with the consulting and advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal, serves as Chairman of US Auto Sales, serves as a Senior Advisor to Milestone Partners and an Industrial Advisor to EQT Partners (a global private equity firm based in Stockholm). He has also advised CEOs and private equity owners providing counsel on performance improvement with their companies in addition to acquisitions and merger integration opportunities. His talks are based on his Five Principles of Engagement and are interwoven with stories from global companies to mid-size companies to startups. What do you do in the first 60 minutes of your