Journey To Mastery
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Felicia reveals the pivotal moment when she heard the voice of God telling her to shutdown her successful business, leading her to redefine what it means to be successful and live a rich life through what she calls the "rich method for living". EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 08:27 - UNDERSTANDING FULFILLMENT BEYOND SUCCESS: "But sometimes the results that we think we want are not conducive for the life that we think we wanna live." 10:57 - FINDING BALANCE IN SUCCESS AND PERSONAL LIFE: "Women were healing in places they didn't know they were broken, and now they're finding a way to love their business again. They're finding a way to love their life again." 15:09 - INTERNAL METRICS FOR SUCCESS: "Until you see yourself as successful already, you're always gonna be chasing something else." 21:36 - THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND PERSONAL GROWTH: "But what do your relationships look like? Who makes you thrive? Who drains you? What is your relationship like with your creator? Where's your foundation? Because your relationships are what carry you through moments of success when you wanna call that person who's not gonna roll their eyes as something amazing you did. Also, when things go wrong, those relationships are gonna carry you and hug you and say, friend, it's gonna be fine." CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ Join the JTM Community https://zc.vg/kfjCr CONTACT FELICIA KELLY LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciakelly818/ Website https://www.feliciakelly.com/
In this episode of "Journey To Mastery," entrepreneur Felicia Kelly shares her journey of overcoming adversity, prioritizing self-care, and achieving personal and professional fulfillment. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ Join the JTM Community https://zc.vg/kfjCr CONTACT FELICIA KELLY LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciakelly818/ Website https://www.feliciakelly.com/
Elzie gets into the nitty-gritty of e-commerce and e-learning with Ken Burke, an esteemed entrepreneur who took his online commerce company to generate $2 billion in annual revenue. Ken shares his transition into leveraging AI in his microcasting platform, his dedication to curating seamless courses, and his withstanding belief in the significance of specializing in the early stages of entrepreneurship. This is a master class in focus, riding the wave of emerging trends, and the critical importance of sales and marketing. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 16:14 - When I talk about land and expanding, I focus on one market, on selling one set of feature sets, and on one message, right? So here's what I want to make sure of, there's another one of my sayings. When you try to talk to everyone, you talk to no one because your message doesn't resonate. 18:54 - When the engine is starting to work, you, as the entrepreneur, don't need to attend to the engine every day. That's when, you know, you can actually move on to something else. You can either broaden your product, or you're going to naturally broaden your product or service offering. 26:30 - So, by having that thought leadership position and having the ability to educate on an ongoing basis using webinars, which is in the olden days, that's what you used to do. Now we do it through e-learning. And so, all I'm doing is bringing that level of engagement that I had with my prospects, partners, and customers to light in a system that actually works, and you can just plug content in, and it does everything else for you. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT KEN BURKE LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/kenburke Website https://www.entrepreneurnow.com/
Elzie chats with Amanda Hofman, CEO and Co-Founder of Go To Market, a woman-owned business looking to revolutionize the way the world handles swag. Amanda takes us on a journey through her challenging entrepreneurial experiences, from running an events company in New York City to delving into the kid's toy industry. Amanda emphasizes the value of learning from past mistakes, seeking honest feedback, and the value of networking in an entrepreneur’s journey and gives us a sneak peek into the company's future, including exciting growth plans and staying competitive. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 08:19 - I think that's something that people miss, like people really do want to help each other. And so, if you're clear about asking for help, I think you'll find that a lot of people will outstretch, you know, put their hand out to you. Especially if you do it in a respectful way and you're not asking for too much time, but just to say, Hey, I'm really interested in getting into this industry, or I'm having trouble breaking into this industry, or I have questions about the kind of job you do. First of all, people love talking about themselves, and people like being helpful. So, if you're bold enough to ask, you might, you know, what's the harm in asking? As long as you can get the courage to do it. 09:39 - I think that the main thing that I can tell people is to be open to and seek out negative feedback. So, like, you hear all the time from people like, "Oh, ignore the haters." You know, don't read the negative comments, and yeah, you don't want to hear what every Joe Schmo has to say about your business, but your friends are going to be an echo chamber for you, and people who love you are going to be an echo chamber for you. So, I looked out, and I was like, What am I doing wrong? What could I be doing better? And I would really reward people who would be honest with me. 20:12 - My dream is that companies all across the country will, like, let's completely do away with boring, unsustainable merchandise. It's a real lose-lose for companies. They're spending all of this money to print their logo on something that people don't want, then they gift it, and then people have garbage from this company. And it's really like an expensive, junk-filled, time-consuming, negative process. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT AMANDA HOFMAN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoldfinehofman/
Elzie sits down with the multi-talented Susan Drumm, a widely respected entrepreneur and leadership expert. Susan has revolutionized a decade-old program, transforming it into a model that empowers anyone to foster better teamwork. Explore her journey from Harvard Law, consulting, acting, and her unique blend of music and neuroscience in leadership outlined in her book, "The Leader's Playlist". Get a glimpse into her 17-year journey with Meritage Leadership, the hurdles of entrepreneurship, and the balancing act of scaling a business. Susan also introduces the Enneagram tool, which reveals the essentially of recognizing and addressing blind spots for effective leadership. This episode is an enriching exploration of leadership, personal growth, and the transformative power of music. Tune in now! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 09:12 - I think I'm going to bring something that you probably never heard, which is related to how music can actually help you be a better leader and a better human. So what do I mean by that? Well, I wrote this book called The Leader's Playlist, and it's about how to unleash the power of music and neuroscience to transform your leadership and your life. And essentially, it looks at the power that music has to help us form new neural pathways in the brain. It's basically how we learn more quickly and efficiently. So, everything's faster when you kind of embed it with music, but it has an important component to it, which is the fact that I think my superpower is pattern recognition. That's what I've been coaching. 10:18 - And what I noticed in those patterns is that a lot of that has to do with what happened to them in their childhood. And what happened to you in your childhood, meaning whatever challenges you had or traumas, more specifically, or just wounds. We've all been wounded in some way, that influence and help us create a superpower, and so that superpower is what you want to leverage, but it also comes with a liability. 24:26 - It's going to be hard for you to get to the next level. And so in this book, I both articulate why what happens to your childhood shows up in your leadership today and also how music can actually interrupt this pattern and help you create a new path forward when you pair it with music. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT SUSAN DRUMM LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-drumm Website https://meritageleadership.com/ The Leader's Playlist Book https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Playlist-Neuroscience-Transform-Leadership/dp/1632996014
Dive into the journey of entrepreneurship with Jeff Maine, Founder of Pay Proudly. His mission is twofold: to provide business owners with payment clarity and to support communities through charity. Discover how Jeff, from his humble beginnings to becoming a seasoned entrepreneur, harnesses his strengths and strategy to fill the gaps in his ventures. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 09:06 - We know our customers need to know us. They need to like us, and they need to trust us. So how do we achieve that? Every single step of the way, and it's getting in front of businesses. And so, really, for our side, sales 101, we're bringing people in and saying, "All right, we've got to get out into the end of the town, and we've got to be talking to businesses, and they've got to know us, like us, and trust us." And so, once we cross that, the sales side is easy. It's easy to sell somebody who already likes and trusts you; you know, it's not really hard anymore from a sales standpoint. 21:55 - Its real money that these business owners are saving. And listen, I've saved businesses just in rate reduction—over $10,000 a month—and fees, you know, it's businesses. A lot of businesses just don't look at this stuff, and they don't have clarity around it. And so it's real; it's a real number. It's a real line item. Businesses are paying a lot in credit card fees, and it's something we can really help them with. 24:05 - We give our business owners credit for those gifts because, without their processing on our platform, we wouldn't be able to give them. And so we want our business owners to have credit for that. So through social media and through everything we do, we thank our businesses. We push the business owners to say, "Hey, because they process it with Pay Proudly, we're able to do this." Without them, we wouldn't be able to do it. So, we love it. It's who we are. We're always going to do it. And we're just going to keep giving, and hopefully we get more and more because we're going to sign more and more accounts. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT JEFF MAINE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-maine-58203b6/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PayProudly Website http://www.payproudly.com/
Precious Williams, known as the Killer Pitch Master, shares a glimpse into her life-altering journey from personal despair to clawing her way back up. Precious shares her perspective on resilience and redemption and the vital role of pitching not just in business, but life. She shares the six types of pitches and their role in building success. Precious also shares insights on personal branding, the value of diversity, and the power of authenticity. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 07:17 - It also showed me that there were people who looked nothing like me and did not care what their backstory was. They only cared about how you present yourself, what that does for their audience, and how we can take that into bigger and bigger places. So that was a lesson that was dialed into me, and I leaned into it, and because of that, I was never afraid to walk into any room again to present myself as a killer pitch master. 08:22 - It is so important for founders to know how to pitch because. If you don't have a way of briefly introducing yourself, your books, your business, your brand, your product, or your service in a way that captivates, titillates, excites, and delights, you're going to have a hard time. You're going to have a hard time posting on social media. A lot of us started by ourselves. So if you cannot get people interested in taking a look at your products or services to want to book you, hire you, or refer you, if you don't show why you're the only choice that matters in an oversaturated place. 36:01 - One of the greatest things I want you to take from me is to be the celebrity of your own brand. It's great to take pictures with all these people and that's wonderful. That doesn't impute anything to you. It doesn't, I promise. I know it looks good. You get a lot of likes on social media. But you want people to come to you. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT PRECIOUS WILLIAMS Website https://perfectpitchgroup.com/ Newsletter https://perfectpitchgroup.com/subscribe/ 1 one 1 Experiences https://perfectpitchgroup.com/experienceprecious/ Hire to Speak at Your Event https://perfectpitchgroup.com/hireprecious/| Holiday Special https://buy.stripe.com/5kA3dd26P4Y26FG5kp Book Links https://perfectpitchgroup.com/books/ Upcoming Events https://perfectpitchgroup.com/events/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/precious-l-williams/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PerfectPitchP YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/PreciousLWilliams
Elzie Flenard talks with legal entrepreneur, James Grant, who reveals the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business. From navigating team dynamics during growth phases, to maintaining focus on the business's purpose, James' insights are invaluable for any entrepreneur. Plus, hear why not all business partnerships are disasters, and how dividing responsibilities based on strengths can be a game-changer. Get a sneak peek into James' enjoyment of his entrepreneurial journey and how it aligns perfectly with his lifestyle. Tune in to learn more about creating a business that serves you, and not the other way around! Remember, entrepreneurship is about more than just work, it's about crafting the lifestyle you want for you and your family. Discover how James did just that. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 13:03 - If you're listening and you think that, "Oh, I don't have the money to hire this super expensive, super qualified rockstar, start small." Hire a VA to manage your email inbox. Hire a VA to do something that is ultra small, that is super basic, but that's taking a lot of your time. With most business owners, most of what you do is administrative in some way. And if you can offload that to a virtual assistant, that's somewhere across the globe in a country where you're both getting a significant benefit by maybe paying them $6 an hour, which is wonderful to them and wonderful to you as a business owner, and everyone wins, why wouldn't you want to do that? 25:00 - I think there's a lot of typical B2B marketing platforms and methods that may not work as effective because, at the end of the day, especially when you're dealing with professionals, professionals want to speak with other professionals. So, when it comes to the vast majority of our B2B model, it's based on networking and being able to build relationships with other lawyers because you do business with those you know, like, and trust. 30:29 - Hiring is tough. It's one of those skills that's not easily acquired. And when you start bringing people into your company, that's a really big step because now you're responsible for somebody else and possibly their family. And you have to understand that you have a commitment to them, but they also have a commitment to you. And being able to be on the same page, as far as where you're going, you have to be clear with your team. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT JAMES GRANT Website https://www.gtakg.com/james-grant/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-grant-accidentattorneyjg
Elzie chats with the "Networking Queen," Toni Harris Taylor. Dive into Toni's journey from Cleveland to Houston at 16, and discover how this transformative move has shaped her understanding of diversity and relationships. Get valuable insights into the art of networking, with a spotlight on the importance of showing up, presenting a professional image, and mastering your elevator pitch. Listen as Toni unravels the power of following up, underscored by a recent success story. Learn about the advantages of joining a networking franchise, particularly for minority entrepreneurs. Get a glimpse of Toni's unconventional marketing strategy, using love to drive business growth. Find out how being part of a networking group can enhance your business through community, connections, collaborations, and referrals. Tune in for these and much more – a must-listen for entrepreneurs looking to build meaningful connections! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 12:06 - I was this close to shutting down the business and going to get a job because I couldn't figure out what my uniqueness was and what my passion was. And when I then started talking to a money mindset coach, she asked me, "What's your why?" And I told her, and she said, "You know, you've accomplished that. You need a new why." 18:08 - You have got show up and look the part. You want to be attractive, so people are like not repelled by you, but attracted to you. You have to have good brand tactics. You have to know your elevator pitch. Who are you? What do you do? What do you say? 21:57 - I want your audience to hear this, especially for brown entrepreneurs. I don't think I'll ever start another business from scratch. Franchising can save you time, money, and energy. You're going to spend that same $40,000 to build it from scratch. It may not be in a lump sum, but if you're going to build something and build it right, you're going to spend the exact same money. Why not plug into a franchise system? CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT TONI HARRIS TAYLOR Website https://www.toniharristaylor.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/toniharristaylor
Elzie chats with tech entrepreneur Artem Koren, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Sembly AI. They delve deep into the world of AI, entrepreneurship, and the secret sauce to achieving success. Artem shares invaluable wisdom, from choosing the right business partner to the importance of securing funding. Listen in as they discuss his journey with start-ups, including an intriguing venture incorporating AI in cancer biopsies. Get a sneak peek into Sembly AI’s groundbreaking technology designed to revolutionize meetings. With exciting features on the horizon, the future looks promising for this AI meeting assistant. Don't miss Artem's perspectives on fostering innovation while maintaining focus. This episode is packed with insights you wouldn't want to miss! Curious? Sign up for a free trial to experience the transformative power of Sembly AI. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 04:54 - I would say that in any startup or in most startups, the three things that typically take center stage and determine survivability are: your ability to raise capital, your ability to build products, and then the ability to take that product to market. And if you can't put a check mark of some weight in all three of those categories, success is very not guaranteed. 08:29 - If you have a great idea, the best thing is not to start building the tech, but to get a really brilliant designer to create a beautiful visualization of what the tech will be and find those initial investors who will see it, be wowed and will help you get off the ground with that initial investment. 26:15 - Innovation is primary and has always been at Sembly. So, I think it's a factor of just me and how I view innovation. I'm probably on board with Elon Musk, and I believe that ultimately, what makes a company long-term competitive is how quickly it innovates. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Launch OR re-launch your podcast https://www.podcasttown.net/ CONTACT ARTEM KOREN LinkedIn https://nl.linkedin.com/in/akoren Website https://www.sembly.ai/
Angela Lewis, Founder of ALA Public Relations, delves into the intricate world of podcast outreach and the strategy behind getting your message out. Discover her top three criteria for matching clients with shows and learn why a podcast's listener count isn't the end-all for guest appearances. Angela offers a fresh perspective on the role of both podcasts and guests in marketing and shares priceless tips on building a lasting connection beyond the microphone. Don't miss out on her valuable advice tailored for anyone looking to amplify their voice in the digital space. Tune in to hear the full conversation and uncover the secret to earned media success! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 03:22 - It's knowing who you are, what's important to you, and where you're going to be able to make the decisions about opportunities. Then it's also looking at your skill set and seeing what you're great at, and then being able to see if that opportunity that is presented aligns with something that actually works for you. 13:39 - I chose podcasting because there are a lot of podcasts and the structure of podcast is really long form content. And most podcast hosts actually want to build connections versus someone being hired by a TV station to do this five-minute segment. So, you can really deep dive and get to know people. I work only with people who are service-based or they work for a nonprofit, and the organization has hired me to help share the mission of the organization. 18:21 - Don't be a guest on a podcast without the right equipment. I've heard podcasts where people don't have microphones. My microphone's right here and I wear headphones as well so that there isn't an echo. And you want to have clear, crisp audio. It doesn't matter how much, you know, if people can't hear it. It doesn't matter how much you want to help them if your audio is so bad, that it's distracting. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT ANGELA LEWIS LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-lewis/ Instagram https://instagram.com/angelalewis_PR Website https://angelarlewis.com/
In this episode of the Enterprise Now show, Elzie Flenard engages in a conversation with entrepreneur and founder Kimberly Spencer. Kimberly is a certified high performance coach, bestselling writer, health junkie, freedom-lover, & unsinkable optimist. The conversation unfolds into a discussion about Kimberly's entrepreneurial journey, beginning with her decision to drop out of college at 17 to pursue an acting career. Kimberly talks about her coaching business and emphasizes the significance of resilience in entrepreneurship and how self-mastery plays a crucial role in personal and professional development. They discuss the power of taking ownership of one's journey and the transformation that occurs through challenges. Overall, the conversation provides a rich tapestry of Kimberly's entrepreneurial journey, self-mastery principles, coaching philosophy, and the transformative power of podcasting. HIGHLIGHTS: 14:36 - I came up with the idea, but I was doing all the things that I call productive procrastination. It was like doing the logo, like building a business plan. It looked really good, but I felt that there was no money flowing in from it and that whole process, and I had to take ownership of where I felt like my blame ended and where I would stop blaming my former business partner for my current circumstances and my lack of success. In my case, it was in my coaching business. 27:03 - When you've borrowed people's audiences enough, because you've guested on other people's podcasts, they've heard your message, they want to learn more, and you have your own podcast, then they're in an incubator of being able to consume your content, get to know you, understand your messaging, understand your values, and then discern based on long-form content if they want to buy rather than like short 15-second reels, where you're mouthing something that they may forget in a couple of days, like when you take the time to consume a podcast, three out of four people who listen to podcasts listen to learn something new. 30:59 - This is where I get very on with podcasters. Do the guest a favor, release the episode, honor your commitment, and be impeccable with your word, because podcasting can be a really good thing. This is like the secret sauce, guys, like it can be a beautiful way to pick your brain, like where you get the concepts, the knowledge, the book recommendations, the strategies—and you're like, holy crap, I'm getting this for free. Yes, you're getting this because you are committing to share their message and their strategies with the world. What drives me up a wall is when podcasters do that and then they don't release the episodes because only 5 percent of podcasts do, releasing an episode every 90 days. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT KIMBERLY SPENCER WEBSITE https://crownyourself.com/about LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyspencer-crownyourself
Dive into an invigorating discussion with Elzie and brand alchemist, Kati Pauls of KP Design, as they navigate the transformative landscape of branding and website design. Discover Kati's unique observations on the effects of artificial intelligence on the industry, and learn why she champions specialization over dilution of skills. Gain insights from her personal journey of scaling her business while sticking to her "North Star". Uncover the power of strategic partnerships, and how they've bolstered Kati's business without sacrificing her individuality. This episode offers a glimpse into the complexities of aligning business decisions with lifestyle choices and the art of maintaining authenticity in a rapidly evolving market. Tune in for an enlightening conversation that doesn't shy away from hard truths and thought-provoking insights. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 06:09 - I'm a specialist. I'm doing this by myself. I'm not growing a team. So, usually when I come across coaching, the first thing is, "Oh, hire this person, hire that person, hire that person. Let's grow the team. That's the only way to scale your business." But that's just not how I work. 10:31 - The Alchemist is my truth. I read it every year, and every time I read it, there's something in it that gives me a message that I wasn't expecting to get. So, when I thought about The Alchemist for myself, it's like, "This makes sense because when someone works with me, they're expecting a transformation of some kind." So, we're taking one thing and transforming it into something else. 13:54 - When you are building your brand, you have to first look at your own brand and ask yourself if you connect. What is your emotional reaction when you see your brand? If the reaction is not great, if you're even just a little bit embarrassed or timid about your brand, that's a problem. If you want to grow your business, your brand has to be able to be out there on your behalf 24/7. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT KATI PAULS LINKEDIN https://ca.linkedin.com/in/katipauls WEBSITE https://kpdesign.ca/
Join Elzie and Angela Black, the revered Customer Queen, as they unravel the art of turning customer service lemons into loyalty lemonade. Discover how a small desk mishap with Amazon blossoms into a masterclass on maintaining grace under pressure. Angela's candid tales from the frontline of sales—complete with hang-ups and tears—will equip you with the emotional armor necessary to conquer customer service battles. Meanwhile, Elzie underlines the importance of gratitude, and the pursuit of entrepreneurial dreams. This is not just about keeping customers but it's a deeper dive into why "all money is not good money" and how to respect your business boundaries. Eager for the blueprint to customer recovery and professional poise? Tune in for insight that balances humanity and business, with a sprinkle of tough love. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 09:11 - I surround myself with people who are doing really well in business and I learned from them. That's what I didn't do and the mistake that I made the first two times was I didn't surround myself with a community of people that were supportive and understood what it's like to be an entrepreneur. I didn't get the help that I needed. I didn't invest in myself, and now I do. 17:54 - Things that you can delegate to people, delegate. And I know people have tight budgets. That's why I say hire your teenage kids, if you have kids that you can hire, but also look into hiring a VA. There are a lot of VAs that are overseas that you could hire to do some of these personal touches for you, even if it's send an email directly to a person and not a mass email. 23:58 - It makes it easier for me to help a larger amount of people because I see there are so many people who have just not even thought about their customer experience, and you're also going to find out how to build your customer journey from the very beginning, where they find out about your business to the time they purchase from you and beyond. That whole customer journey, I'm going to teach you how to build it out and how to plan it. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT ANGELA BLACK LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/customerqueen/ Website http://www.angelablackcrc.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheeCustomerQueen Email
Elzie chats with Scott Bushkie, a 25-year veteran in business selling and the Founder and Managing Partner of Cornerstone Business Services. They unpack the often overlooked dynamics of selling businesses. Scott compares running a business to training for a marathon and shares practical tips to enhance business value. He provides a sneak peek into the business selling process, from engagement to market entry, and highlights the crucial role of confidentiality. He also teases about the "three-legged stool" concept. The due diligence stage, buyer identification, and crafting compelling business narratives are also emphasized. Scott delves into the unique mid-market segment, where Cornerstone specializes. This episode promises valuable insights for business owners, potential sellers, and anyone intrigued by business transactions! Tune in for an enlightening discussion. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 11:06 - With most business owners, it's almost like running a marathon where they start out really strong and they're excited, and then they kind of get into this rut and slow down, and it becomes more of a lifestyle business. And also now all the coaches go away, the mile markers go away, and you have no idea where you're in this process, and they don't know where that finish line is. 15:43 - The less important you are to the business ideally, hypothetically, the more valuable the company is. Because what I'm buying, there's a team there that's proven, no one's leaving, and I have a better chance of success moving forward. So, that's the first one. It's really building out your management team. 20:39 - Most business owners, unfortunately, they don't know what their business is worth. So, one day they wake up and say, "I"m burnt out. I'm going to call my CPA or my attorney. I'm going to call my competitor on the street and they'll help me put the deal together, and it'll be easy." CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT SCOTT BUSHKIE Website https://www.cornerstone-business.com/team/scott-bushkie/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/scottbushkie
Meshell Baker, who is a transformational keynote speaker, shares insights on the power of belief, imagination, and gratitude in transforming your life. Meshell delves into how a clear vision and an expansive imagination can help you overcome the hurdles life throws at you. She also emphasizes the necessity of constantly infusing your mind with your audacious goals, and the priceless feeling of joy when your trust in the universe pays off. This episode isn't about superficial achievements, but about architecting a resilient character that remains joyful and valuable no matter what. So, tune in to discover how to create a life that's more than just the acquisitions and accolades. Remember, you are invaluable! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 26:28 - If you want to master your business and your life, start stepping into the uncomfortable because it is not real. It's an illusion. Fear is not real. Fear is just your mind making up a story based on the historical data of that emotion. If you have a future of wanting success, you have never felt success in this moment. You must train your body to know that fear is success. Success, failure, and mistakes are the opposite sides of the coin. 30:31 - I always tell people to dream big. So, joy comes from satisfaction and fulfillment of a life lived well. Joy is lasting above. Happiness is a temporary emotion. Joy is actually a mindset. And in order to shift your mindset to joy, you must be doing things that give you fulfillment and satisfaction. 31:25 - When you are focused on something that's bigger and greater than you, that you can't see or figure out how you're going to do it, it ignites you from the inside internally. It causes your imagination to start to work in your favor instead of against you. Because that's the only way you're going to fulfill it, is you have to start thinking big and positive, favorable outcomes. Otherwise, you'll never achieve it and it actually helps to elevate your gratitude. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT MESHELL BAKER LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/meshellrbaker Facebook http://meshellbaker.com/ Website http://meshellbaker.com/ Email
In this lively episode, Elzie engages with entrepreneur, author, and speaker Ramon Ray, exploring a range of topics from small business advocacy to personal branding. Ramon, the founder of Smart Hustle Media, shares insights into his multifaceted role and experiences, emphasizing the power of podcasting in building authentic connections and dedicated tribes. Ramon delves into personal aspects of his life, touching on his nearly 30-year marriage, two adult children, and notable experiences like testifying before Congress and interviewing President Barack Obama. Ramon's perspective on faith, family, and business highlights the centrality of faith in everything he does, reflecting his genuine desire to help others. Ramon provides valuable insights into the principles of building trust and attention, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in the process. The discussion takes a practical turn as Elzie and Ramon explore the challenges of focus and mindset in entrepreneurship. The episode provides valuable takeaways on the nuances of entrepreneurship and relationship-building in the business landscape. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 04:01- Podcasting is the ultimate way, in my humble opinion, to build your best tribe. Podcasting is something you can't do halfway. People are going to either want to listen to it, download each episode, like getting an episode of SWAT, or take your best channel, whatever it is, they're going to even want to watch it, or they're not. So, that's why I find that podcasting is the ultimate tool of connectivity. 26:07 - Many business owners want sales. I'm a firm believer before they get sales, they should be seeking trust. Before they get trust, they have to have attention. That's why we teach that if you get attention from the right people and start to build trust with them over time, you will make a sale. 43:57 - I'm talking to people of faith. This world is competing against that. I do believe we're in a spiritual war. So, my advice is to be the best business owner you can be, with no shame or blemish. I mean, zero blemish. You have no room for error, no room for error, none, zero margin. So, you are the best business person in the world who happens to be a person of faith and then, whatever your devotions or your connection to God may be, mine may be different than yours in particular, but if we're talking to people who are on the same wavelength, be filled in that every day. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT RAMON RAY Website http://www.ramonray.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonraysmallbiz Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ramonray Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ramonray Celebrity CEO http://www.celebrityceo.com
Phil Johnson, the mind behind the Master of Business Leadership program imparts his wisdom on the importance of authentic listening and shares how it can deepen relationships and foster personal success. He also delves into the powerful impact of aligning individual and organizational goals. Hear more about what the Master of Business Leadership program offers and how it's helping individuals and companies attain their goals. Tune in now to get exceptional insights on the difference between intellectual and experiential learning. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 06:06 - We go into what psychologists refer to as an amygdala hijack. Some people lash out, some people run away, some people freeze like a deer in headlights. When that happens in conflict situations, people die. When it happens in business or personal situations, relationships die. We burn trust. 13:50 - When we're unconsciously giving away our energy, it creates an energy deficit in us. So, at the same time we're giving away our energy over here, we're simultaneously trying to replace that energy by stealing energy from other people over here. And that dynamic is going on inside of everybody, everywhere in the world, all the time. And that is the root cause of all drama, chaos, and conflict. 17:39 - Think of the organization as an engine and think of the employees as the pistons in that engine. By aligning the individual vision to the organizational vision, you're going to create a much more engaged, smoother running organization that's more highly, highly engaged. If the employee doesn't see how the organizational success is aligned with their individual view of success, they're not going to be that engaged. The employee has to understand what it is they want to achieve, and they have to understand the organization's view of success, and you have to create that alignment, because if that alignment's not there, you're not going to have the level of engagement that you want to have to succeed. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT PHIL JOHNSON LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipjpjohnson/ Zoom Calendar https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_header&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGk5NVZFdkl6WXB1cWhpWTNodGpOLUIxU2ZuZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuX2lITTR6QzBXU2xWdWpCX0MxTjNaS2htaFFSeFQ4ZWpyRWtIRGZiY0R0ZGp0dkVHUTMtODBsSFBTMHdFQTZNby1pTjZNZTBiNExIekN3aEI5a3dsdm1XOUdqYVFDT2NERGswaVhKVnF3SXJLSUVmQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Fmblcoach%2Fchat-with-phil
Elzie Flenard engages in a dynamic conversation with Jonathan Cronstedt about leadership, self-leadership, and the transformative journey of Kajabi. Jonathan emphasizes the evolving nature of leadership across different stages, highlighting the challenges of self-leadership and the need to overcome the desire for approval. Their discussion explores the intricate relationship between purpose, culture, and business growth, drawing inspiration from Netflix's "good goodbye" concept. Jonathan introduces the "bullseye" concept from his upcoming book, "Billion Dollar Bullseye," outlining seven core areas of focus in a business. Purpose, profit, product, prestige, promotion, persuasion, and people form the concentric rings that contribute to a company's growth. Jonathan shares valuable lessons for entrepreneurs, urging them to focus on solving real problems, remaining customer-centric, and adapting to the evolving landscape of business. As the conversation unfolds, listeners gain deep insights into the dynamics of leadership, navigating challenges, and the power of purpose in driving entrepreneurial success. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 13:31 - The most famous quote on culture is from Peter Drucker, who says "Culture eats strategy for breakfast", and he's right. This is one of those areas where I think the biggest mistake that most companies are making as it relates to their culture is that they're trying to be everything to everybody. And you just simply can't be that, whether you're looking at the customers you serve, the employees you have, or even your own internal goals, I really do think that you've got to get very, very precise on what those goals are and how those goals are brought about through an organization. 28:09 - I don't know the right answer for you. I know the right answer for Kajabi was to remain steadfastly focused. The outcome, which was the success of our customers, meant that when our customers needed email, we built email. When our customers needed automated live events, we built automated live events. It meant that whatever our customers needed, we were committed to staying at the forefront of that for them. 32:20 - I'm a much bigger fan of actual intelligence than I am of artificial intelligence. That's the AI that I choose to focus on. I think that right now, AI is an amazing tool, but it's a terrible leader. If you're counting on the fact that AI is going to replace your business, then you probably deserve to be replaced by AI. If the world needed information and that was what was important or relevant, we'd already be set; you know, all of the information is online, available for free, and in a disorganized and possibly not true fashion, but it's all out there and available. And AI is learning off of that and is a little bit better. But I think we're going to see AI go through the same adoption curve that we always see everything go through that everyone's going to get really excited about, like the Internet in 1995. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT JONATHAN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cronstedt/
Podcast. S.A. shares his diverse background, from graffiti artist in Brooklyn to founding multiple businesses, emphasizing the continuous journey of self-mastery. S.A. details his current focus on consolidating digital assets into one platform and delves into the concept of digital assets as income generators or lead magnets. S.A. shares thoughts on his journey of self-mastery and reflects on the ongoing process of learning, overcoming hurdles, and adapting to new challenges, emphasizing the mental aspect of personal growth. S.A details his business models, envisioning passive income through affiliate marketing and leveraging the podcast as a lead magnet. The Boss Uncaged Podcast is not just a podcast—it's a comprehensive ecosystem that he is strategically building for long-term success. He delves into various aspects of his media and podcasting journey sharing valuable insights and plans. Listen to this engaging and dynamic conversation with S.A., covering podcasting insights, business strategies, and personal growth. His forward-thinking approach reflects a vision beyond his current role, envisioning the intersection of technology and podcasting for future growth and scalability. HIGHLIGHTS: 16:22: There are a million different ways to monetize podcasting, than this agency, right? Podcasting becomes a lead magnet. Then people will kind of buy your services from your agency. But ideally, I'm looking at, okay, what if I use the podcast as a lead magnet? I find the right people, and then I apply them to other products and services, and it kind of goes into the affiliate side to kind of say, "Hey, I have information for you. I have value to add here. It is for free. Check it out." If you buy great things, I get paid. If not, then it is what it is. But ideally, that's the model. Everything that I'm building is going to go to just sending traffic to particular destinations. 33:08: You could become a wealthy millionaire or a billionaire with a fraction of a percent of the entire world's population. So when somebody says that podcasting is flooded and there's too many again, there's only 3,000,000 podcasts collectively. And out of those podcasts, maybe 5 percent of them are creating content on a regular basis. So that leaves the other two million and change that don't do anything. So is it really flooded? No, it's far from it. Your audience and my audience may overlap, but again, you have a range of 8 billion people, and I have a range of 8 billion people. So if you're looking at this as two separate circles, yeah, we have some overlap. But I almost guarantee you that whoever's listening to this episode right now may be the first time they've even heard of me, and vice versa on my episode. 43:07: I am working to the point where, if I die tomorrow, this podcast, everything that I'm building in this ecosystem, and this umbrella company should be able to not run itself today but eventually be able to run itself to a certain extent. So whether it's my ancestors, whether it's like my kids, or whether it's someone else that buys the company from them, then ideally all these structural things are in place. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT S.A.
In today's episode, Elzie Flenard engages in a captivating conversation with business expert Will Roundtree. Together, they dive deep into the realm of business credit, funding strategies, and the art of managing finances. Throughout the conversation, the importance of structured business approaches is underscored. Will advocates for businesses to operate with a focus on customer experience, result-oriented processes, and scalability. The episode encapsulates the essence of wealth-building through creative financing. Will's journey from personal credit struggles to mastering creative financing and building a financial education empire is both inspiring and educational. This episode provides valuable insights into the world of business credit, funding strategies, and the mindset required for financial success. Tune in, learn, and transform your approach to business and finance. HIGHLIGHTS: 02:31 - The banks know that nine out of ten businesses will fail year one through three, and the likelihood of a business being open past year one through three is about 10%. And so the odds are stacked against most people. So, when people go to the bank and the first thing they say is, "Oh, let me go get a small business loan," it's almost like looking for Bigfoot; it's almost nonexistent. But then, a lot of times, people will say, "Well, let me try to go for an SBA loan." Less than 1% of businesses ever get approved for SBA loans, especially in the black community, because a lot of those businesses don't have their paperwork in order. 11:35 - I started studying economics because I often say that one of the reasons why a lot of small businesses, especially in our communities, don't make it is that we don't learn the economics of things. We hear about financial literacy, but I think that economics is the second part of that. And so in my four-step Roundtree methodology, I call it that there's four things that you need to focus on, or four steps. Number one is mindset. Number two is understanding the power of credit. Number three is knowing the cost of money. That's the economic part, which eventually will help you build assets and wealth. 29:14 - A lot of times I meet so many people who go and get capital or want to go into business, and they're so busy looking at everybody else's lens that they are trying to hurry up and get there, not knowing that the person who you're looking at probably has been in the game or running this race for 20 years, like myself. So, stop trying to compare yourself to somebody who's on chapter 20 and you're still in the introductory stage of your book or in your journey. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT WILL ROUNDTREE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/willroundtree/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mrwillroundtree Twitter https://twitter.com/mrwillroundtree Books: Credit is King, Full Time CEO https://www.amazon.com/Books-Will-Roundtree/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AWill+Roundtree
Elzie Flenard is joined by Britt Gottschalk, the founder of Geno.Me, as they dive into the entrepreneurial journey and the groundbreaking work being done in the field of health data accessibility. Britt shares her transition from a corporate background in management consulting to venturing into entrepreneurship. With a background in industrial organizational psychology, she emphasizes the importance of understanding team dynamics and organizational behavior. As the discussion delves into Geno.Me's genesis, Britt explains the critical problems they aim to solve in both B2B and B2C realms. On the B2B side, Geno.Me provides a revolutionary solution to data accessibility issues faced by research organizations, offering a streamlined platform for data sharing and analysis. On the B2C side, contributors to Geno.Me are not just sources of data but active participants compensated for their contribution, fostering transparency in the often opaque world of data monetization. Britt also shares insights into her funding journey, emphasizing the significance of aligning with investors who share the passion and vision for the business. The show wraps up with Britt offering valuable advice to budding entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of starting, prioritizing, and being prepared to make sacrifices on the path to success. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 15:50 - So, our seed round, we rounded out at $500,000, and that was at the end of 2021. So, the last year and a half has been dedicated to producing things like our beta, our MVP, and raising additional capital. 18:36 - mean, we are tackling the big, hairy elephant of data transparency, because a lot of times it's gotten a bad rap because of the way that the business is conducted, where it's just these large institutions that are stockpiling data on individuals and selling it to other organizations.That's not what we want to do. We want to be as transparent as possible and loop in people whose data it is that is lucrative and that is being sold. 23:44 - The number-one tip is start. Do it. Because I talk to a lot of entrepreneurs where it's like they have an idea, but they are really hesitant about trying to make any leaps forward with it. And you can always say what if, but at some point you have to just be able to take that step. 26:16 - There's going to be a lot of critics out there. There's going to be a lot of people who are going to laugh in your face and tell you that what you're doing is not worth your time, your energy, or your effort. But, at the end of the day, you need to be the one that can say to yourself, I believe it's worth my effort and my time, and I'm confident in what I'm doing. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT BRITT GOTTSCHALK Website https://www.yourgeno.me LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittgottschalk/ E-mail
In an exciting conversation between Nathan Yeung and Elzie Flenard, Nathan, the CEO of Find Your Audience, shares a wealth of insights drawn from his unique journey, transitioning from a VP of finance and management consulting to a marketer. He emphasizes the need for a holistic perspective in marketing, combining creativity with a focus on operations for practical implementation. Nathan details the growth of his agency from 14 to 25 employees, addressing the challenges of scaling and the crucial role of organizational structure. He explores the delicate balance between autonomy and oversight in managing creative teams, advocating for empowering employees while providing necessary support. This episode is a treasure trove of practical business advice and heartfelt reflections, offering invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and professionals alike. Nathan Yeung's experiences provide practical lessons for marketers and business owners seeking to enhance their marketing strategies and effectively scale their operations. It delivers a compelling blend of industry wisdom and personal revelations, making it essential listening for those navigating the dynamic landscape of marketing. HIGHLIGHTS: 08:02: So, business owners, you know that it is not easy to empower employees. Why? You're scared to fail. You don't make mistakes. And when you make mistakes, you put in the extra hours to do that. When someone else makes a mistake, it's out of your control. You don't feel comfortable. So the reality is that there is no shortcut to this. You're going to have to give autonomy, and you're going to have to sometimes do things in parallel. 16:00: So the reality is that marketing in general, for, I'm going to say, more than 90 percent of my clients, is very much an educational journey. Which is why they're probably hiring me. The reality is that a lot of companies go, "I don't know where to start." And they go, "Well, where have you started?" And they go, "Well, I've done this." And I can probably ask 5 or 6 questions within 5 minutes. And I'll be able to identify why they're not successful. 26:58: When you start your business, you're going to have to work with people you don't like because you have to get it going. You have to cross that chasm. You know, you've got to make sure you've got your case studies and your success track record. But once you do that, don't work with someone you don't like. It's not worth it ever. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT NATHAN YEUNG LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeungnathan/?originalSubdomain=ca Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fya.marketingbytes/ Website https://findyouraudience.online/
Elzie Flenard hosts another engaging episode, this time featuring Mitchelle Lyle and Paul O'Neil. The episode delves into the unique intersection of Mitchelle and Paul's paths, exploring the themes of vision, hope, and perseverance. Mitchelle shares her journey with ITA (International Traveler's Academy), a startup focusing on connecting employers and employees in the niche market of working and living internationally. The momentum and impact of ITA led Mitchelle to explore her passion for hydroponics, a soilless gardening method. She highlights the significance of contributing positively to her community, drawing parallels between her experiences in the corporate world and her desire for more meaningful change. Paul, an electrician turned IT professional, narrates his story of transitioning careers and discovering hydroponics. The chance meeting with Mitchelle at the National Society of Black Engineers conference sparked their collaboration on a hydroponics program. The conversation shifted to their shared goals of piloting the program in Milwaukee and eventually expanding to Brooklyn, addressing challenges and showcasing their adaptability. The episode offers valuable insights into entrepreneurship, community impact, and the fascinating world of hydroponics. HIGHLIGHTS: 03:52 - I don't want to ever get stuck in the space where I feel stuck in a job or I feel stuck in a particular career, and it's very one-dimensional because, as people, we're just not. Even considering that for myself and the momentum that I have for ITA, I moved away from Milwaukee, I came back, I live in the same neighborhood that I grew up in, and a lot of those things didn't change. And I have been thinking about what I can do to really impact my community in a positive way. 20:15 - I think it's because hydroponics are probably on the cusp of still being new enough that people are confused when you say it, and it's like you have to convince them of how good it is. But I think once people understand it, then it can be a part of a lot of different programs. It can be a part of a lot of these initiatives. 23:07 - Somebody could put some big money into hydroponics, and this thing could blow up. So, I think that is one of the things, like people just aren't putting money behind it yet because there are a lot of things in this world. We're still stuck on the old stuff. Instead of looking ahead and saying, "You know what? This right here is what we need." CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support CONTACT MITCHELLE LYLE AND PAUL O'NEIL Email TikTok https://tiktok.com/@MKEhydroponics23 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-travel-advisor/ Website http://www.internationaltraveladvisor.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IntlTravelAdvisor/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chillvibesonlytv/ Check out...
Elzie Flenard engages in an insightful conversation with Corey Kupfer, a seasoned entrepreneur and expert in law, negotiation, and podcasting. Corey shares his journey from being a Brooklyn kid to establishing a successful law firm and speaking, training, and consulting company. As a deal maker, Corey delves into the strategies he employed to build, grow, and scale his service-based business in the highly competitive field of law. Corey and Elzie explore various types of deals, such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, online affiliate deals, sponsorship deals, and more. Corey also sheds light on his foray into podcasting and how it became a cornerstone of his authority marketing approach. The DealQuest podcast, now rated in the top 1% globally, has become a platform for deal makers to share their experiences and insights, inspiring entrepreneurs to explore different avenues for business growth. Listen now gain valuable insights into Corey's approach to negotiation, deal-making, and the significance of a clear mindset in achieving success in the world of entrepreneurship. HIGHLIGHTS: 11:09- So what happens in the authority marketing model is that some people think you have to do everything—you know, you have to be on Instagram, you have to be on LinkedIn, you have to be blogging, you have to be doing a podcast, you have to write a book, you have to write. And first of all, it's impossible and second of all, I think the most successful people find the platform of platforms that they're on. That's why they're comfortable with that; they're drawn to it. They're going to do it consistently, right? Because one of the biggest things on authority marketing is that you have to do things consistently. 18:50- So there's a deal-maker mentality. One of the reasons I really started the podcast is because I found that every company's trying to grow organically. Everybody's trying to get more customers, more clients, increase sales and marketing, and provide great products and services, right? And you should do that. If you can't get a customer, a client, get another one, and get another one organically, you probably don't have a viable business. Having said that, though, I also would run into people all the time who would be frustrated they weren't growing or they were not growing as fast as they'd like and they were trying to, let's say, access a new market or hire a new talent or get into a new vertical, geography, whatever it was, and they were trying to do it organically. And there are many, many ways that you can do deals to help accelerate that. And if you study the most successful companies, they do both. They have a good, or excellent, organic growth engine. And they also do deals. 33:30-The other huge thing that's been important to me in my life for many, many years now is being of service. And that's how I approach my clients and my law firm, but it's also, my wife and I are involved in many things outside of businesses, and I have a very specific goal in terms of what we want to do in terms of increasing our philanthropic work and specifically it's funny, we've given out a lot over the years, and we have given a decent amount of money. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/linkedin Join the Flame Starters https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/flame-starters Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Contact Corey...
Elzie hosts Dave Valentine, Founder of DreamQuest Agency, for a deep dive into agency growth. Dave shares insights from his agency journey, emphasizing the pivotal role of reliable lead generation and operational efficiency. A focus on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and effective task delegation emerges as a key theme, with Dave highlighting the long-term benefits of documenting processes for scalability. The conversation explores the significance of focus, clarity, and intention in business strategy. Dave advocates for niche specialization, comparing the efficiency of specialists to the challenges faced by generalists. Introducing the Dream Agency Quest program, Dave outlines its two versions, offering yearly growth support and a three-year commitment for agencies contemplating a potential sale. Dave encourages entrepreneurs to embrace self-awareness, believe in their services, and resist the allure of every opportunity. The Dream Agency Quest emerges as a valuable tool for agency owners seeking to scale, grow, and potentially sell their businesses. The episode concludes with gratitude from Elzie and an invitation from Dave for entrepreneurs to reflect on the impact of focus and intention on their businesses. HIGHLIGHTS: 07:00: If you don't have SOPs, standard operating procedures, for your team to follow, it doesn't matter if you're a really great practitioner. I was and am a very good digital advertising person. I knew how to target the right copy and put it to the creative. And this was before they had a lot of automated targeting that's pretty savvy now. So I could do it, but I could never train someone else to do it. And so I always found myself going behind the people that I hired to do that work and doing it for them. 15:28: After I sold my first agency, I had a lot of people say, dude, how did you do that? You know? I mean, because that's what people want to do. And in 2020, I started consulting with agency owners, and I started to see they would see immediate success. So they would go from making $10,000 a month to $25,000 a month in 45 days just because I was like, "hey, here's how you do lead generation. Here's how you set up the systems. Here's how you take sales calls." And it's so rewarding to see other people be successful when they're using your playbook. 31:27: So one of the ways that we do this is that no one person at any company that I own ever makes more than 5 times as much as the lowest-paid person. So if I want to take a raise, that's cool.That's great. I have to get the bottom person up so that I can have that race. And what that does is create this community amongst our employees where they go. Dave has a job that I don't want. I'm glad that he makes more than me exponentially, because I don't want to do what he does. But I also know that I'm not getting fleeced, that I'm still making a lot of money, and that I'm being taken care of. And so it's just being thoughtful, conscious, and aware of the actions that we take that affect other people and the planet. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elziedflenardiii/ Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Join the Flame Starters https://www.theflamestarters.com/ CONTACT DAVE VALENTINE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-valentine-95564891
In this lively conversation, Elzie and Revolancer founder Karl Swanepoel explore the dynamic world of freelancing. Revolancer, born out of personal frustration with existing solutions, stands out with over 20,000 users in just two years, aiming to revolutionize freelancing by eliminating commission fees. Karl, with a background in AI and robotics, sheds light on the strategic shift to a Software as a Service (SaaS) model and the importance of first-principle thinking in overcoming industry challenges. The episode emphasizes key insights for entrepreneurs and freelancers, touching on self-confidence, networking, and standing out in a crowded market. Karl shares tactics to combat the race-to-the-bottom pricing dilemma, offering valuable advice to businesses and freelancers. The conversation dives into broader business lessons, with Karl emphasizing perseverance, learning from failure, and adopting a customer-centric approach. HIGHLIGHTS: 09:40: I think it's really important to work with clients who kind of develop a good relationship with clients. I can tell you that from my freelancing experience, I actually noticed a really strange kind of trend, which is that for my 2 clients, I have 2 clients who paid me a lot more than every other client I had. And those two clients were by far the best to work with. They were the most understanding, the most reasonable, and just a real pleasure to work with. I felt like I was really contributing something, and the clients who were constantly trying to push the price down and had tiny budgets were often horrible to deal with. 19:32: I don't think it's likely that some AI is going to start launching nukes or go terminate, or whatever. But I think it's more so in automating jobs that there's now suddenly a large portion of humans who cannot do anything better, more efficiently than a machine can. And at that point what do they do? I think there are a lot of big questions around that, but there aren't really good answers, and people aren't moving fast enough to find good answers there. 23:21 People think that when you start a business, you have a cool idea. You go out there and build the idea and put it out there, advertise to people, and they buy from you, essentially. But, really, what I found is that the best way to start a business or any kind of project is to identify your target audience and then sort of like understand what their problems are and then build a solution for a very big problem for a very specific group of people. That way, your chances of success and your chances of guessing the right idea are just so much higher. 25:59: That's why you start with finding a target audience that you want to help or kind of a certain, just broader, industry that you want to be involved in. But as for what your business very specifically does, I think it needs to be driven by what the audience wants. So, for example, I could say that I used to be a freelancer. I face all kinds of issues. I want to make the industry better for freelancers. I don't know. I want to build a platform that's going to help freelancers. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elziedflenardiii/ Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Join the Flame Starters https://www.theflamestarters.com/ CONTACT KARL SWANEPOEL
BLAZING A TRAIL FROM MUSIC TO TECH ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITH CHYNNA MORGAN Chynna shares insights into her journey as a SaaS founder, recounting the challenges posed by the pandemic and how it led to the birth of Vidlo. Diving into the essence of user-generated content (UGC), Chynna breaks down the concept, emphasizing its impact on brand authenticity. She explains how Vidlo facilitates the creation of UGC campaigns, allowing brands to engage their audience organically. Chynna highlights the significance of a visually appealing brand design for capturing audience attention. The conversation flows seamlessly from discussing favorite campaigns to the pivotal role of connections and teamwork in business success. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 10:08: So I think that a lot of times what brands do is create an experience, whether it's like a photo booth inside their store or a campaign to drive more impact for their brand. But what the audience is getting in return is a giveaway. They could get a promo code of, you know, you post this on Instagram. You get 10% off your next product. And to be honest with you, bigger than that, they're a part of the brand story now. Right? Now that you are, I'm seeing myself on your page. I feel like I'm a part of a story, which I think has a bigger impact than anything I said before. 17:30: You have to create a campaign that's visually appealing. So that's going to be the first thing someone's going to see when they scan it. If they think that your branding is sloppy or blurry, they're not even going to go to the next step. So I think first impressions always, have to have that good first impression. So I would say, like, make sure the design of your landing page for your logo is very clear and very nice. What else should they not do? You should not just let the campaign sit on the platform. 21:38: Because I think a lot of people have these ideas. Like you said, they think they're awesome. It's going to work right away. Right? But they're not doing any type of research to really understand their target audience. They're not doing any market research to really understand, is this business sustainable? Am I really going to make money off of this business? Or am I just being cocky and thinking that this is awesome because I thought of it? So I think that's where a lot of problems lie when people create businesses. It's like they're doing it for themselves, and there's really not a problem to solve in the market. So I want to make sure there was a problem to solve with Vidlo. So I did a lot of market research. 29:08: The key is not giving up. Right? And always knowing that, the goal ahead, if you don't give up, you're always going to attain that, you know? So I keep that in mind, and I just have passion for what I'm building. When you have passion about it and you see how it can benefit people and how it could change other people's lives or make their lives easier, that also allows you to keep on going as well. So I don't know. I think just from being young, I've always just kind of had this kind of resilience in me. And I never give up; if I believe something, then I'm going to keep on doing it. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elziedflenardiii/ Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Join the Flame Starters https://www.theflamestarters.com/ Contact...
Itay shares his journey into the online world over 28 years ago, emphasizing the importance of thinking long-term in business. The conversation dives into the world of newsletters and email marketing, with Itay stressing the value of quality over quantity in building an email list. He highlights the simplicity of effective email writing, suggesting that individuals write how they speak to authentically connect with their audience. Itay introduces the concept of the Morning Dough, a curated newsletter born during the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses various types of newsletters, including content updates, podcast highlights, and curated news. Itay provides insights into differentiating newsletters and attracting subscribers by putting oneself into the content. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 06:06 - You can always find people to connect with you. And that's why it's connecting also to emails or podcasts. If you're speaking the same language, it's much easier because people can relate to you. Getting the people and start building a podcast slash email list, I think it's more or less the same. 11:21 - In the email list, it's very easy to say, "Oh, the email list doesn't really work. I don't have enough subscribers." It takes time to build it. It's all about one more and one more and one more and some will leave and that's okay. Some people are doing all kinds of efforts to keep people on the list. I say, you don't need it. If someone wants to leave the list, let them go. You don't need them. 16:03 - Think about the long term and evergreen. You need a business that works also for you that if you're gone for two months, it might be lower a little bit but still keep on running. Build value, build employees. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elziedflenardiii/ Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Join the Flame Starters https://www.theflamestarters.com/ CONTACT ITAY PAZ LinkedIn https://il.linkedin.com/in/itaypaz Website https://www.morningdough.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itaypaz Mentioned in this episode: PODCAST TOWN Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/podcasttown
Dujuan Cherry, the creative force behind Agency ML, offers valuable insights into navigating the world of wealth advisory. He emphasizes the importance of embodying your brand and becoming the character you aspire to be. As we delve deeper, Dujuan shares his ambitious plans for incorporating AI and creating short films. He opens up about his dream of transforming Milwaukee into a production hub for great shows and talent. He envisions a future where Hollywood comes to Milwaukee, providing the talent in his city an elevated platform. Listen in as Dujuan shares insights into creating an unforgettable customer experience and his unique approach to video production. For an episode packed with passion, determination, and a fresh perspective on building a local Hollywood, tune in. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 14:11 - Talk about what you do, talk about the importance of your service. But not only that, do whatever you can, you know. Volunteer your time. It's always good. Once again, kind of going back to that it's always good to give more than you take. So, volunteer your time. At the end, people will see that, and people will understand this is somebody who loves us and not just wants to have us as a client. 18:48 - I feel when you see something visually and you're hearing a person's story, you feel as if you're in the room with them. It's almost as if there's a relatability. It just tells a better story visually. People are attracted to movies, and movies tell a great story. And if you can create almost a movie-like feel to whatever message you're trying to portray to your specific type of clientele for your business, then it's going to have that same sort of emotion behind it. 29:04 - I think I want Milwaukee to become a place where you don't have to go to Hollywood. Hollywood will come to us. And I think that's the biggest thing right now that I'm working on. I guess you could say, new business plan or try to incorporate that within the business, but I want to build a film-slash-television show production where great shows are being put on major networks. And people are either moving to Milwaukee or young talent are auditioning in Milwaukee. CONNECT WITH ELZIE LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elziedflenardiii/ Support the journey https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/support Join the Flame Starters https://www.theflamestarters.com/ CONTACT DUJUAN CHERRY LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dujuan-cherry-2b3030122 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dujuan.cherry/?hl=en Mentioned in this episode: PODCAST TOWN Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town https://journeytomastery.captivate.fm/podcasttown
