Running a business together can put enormous strain on a relationship, no matter how strong it is. The constant pressure, long hours, and emotional ups and downs can make it hard to separate work from personal life. Disagreements about the business often spill over, turning everyday moments into tension-filled exchanges. It’s a tough balancing act that can leave both partners feeling isolated and overwhelmed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxIioq-RUVs Kyle & Ariel Tresch are the co-founders of Couplepreneurs, a mentorship company that helps entrepreneur couples grow thriving businesses without sacrificing their relationships. As digital marketing consultants and a married couple themselves, Kyle and Ariel went through the challenges of running a business with a spouse. They are also the hosts of “The Couplepreneurs Show,” where they share lessons and strategies from influential power couples. Today, Kyle and Ariel discuss the common pitfalls that entrepreneur couples face. Stay tuned! Resources Couplepreneurs: Business Growth Strategies for Couples Kyle & Ariel: Discover How To Turn Your Unique Working Dynamic As A Couple Into Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage In Business The Couplepreneurs Show hosted by Kyle & Ariel Tresch on Apple Podcasts Kyle Tresch on LinkedIn Ariel Tresch on LinkedIn Couplepreneurs on Facebook

Creating personalized content that truly connects with people can feel like an uphill battle, especially when juggling too many tools and platforms. It’s frustrating to pour time into strategies only to feel like your message isn’t cutting through. Somewhere along the way, the brand’s unique voice can get buried under all the noise and competing priorities. It’s a challenge to keep things consistent and meaningful in such a fast-paced, content-heavy world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sabexZ8SaGU Michael Katz is the founder of Flowsend, an AI-powered platform that helps creators, marketers, and businesses maximize the impact of their content. With a background in scaling a company to an 11-figure exit, Michael is no stranger to the challenges of content creation and distribution. Today, Michael shares his thoughts on the importance of meeting audiences where they are, the role of AI in enhancing creativity, and the strategies for maintaining a consistent brand voice across multiple platforms. Stay tuned! Resources Flowsend: AI-Driven Transcription & Content Creation Michael Katz on LinkedIn

Navigating the economic landscape today can be incredibly challenging, with complex market dynamics, inflation, and global uncertainties creating a constantly shifting environment. Identifying the right investment opportunities for a business involves weighing risks against potential returns in a setting where trends evolve rapidly. Many companies find themselves drawn to emerging areas like technology and sustainable initiatives as they search for stable growth paths. In this context, balancing optimism with caution becomes crucial, as businesses aim to remain adaptable and resilient amid economic fluctuations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdAiRROf2Zs Nic DeAngelo is the President of Saint Investment Group and a seasoned real estate investor and finance expert, known as the "fixed income GOAT" (greatest of all time) in the industry. With a $206 million portfolio, he has built a reputation for fusing economic foresight and real estate prowess to deliver value-driven insights to his audience. Today, Nic discusses a range of topics, including the current economic landscape, the importance of viewing business through an economic lens, his unique real estate investment strategy, and the critical role of marketing and growth in driving business success. Stay tuned! Resources Nic DeAngelo on LInkedIn Saint Investment Group: Trust, Transparency, and Stability. The New Era of Real Estate Investing

Are your people skills holding you back from career success? Struggling to build strong professional relationships? Whatever we do in life, interactions with other people are necessary. Especially if you want to boost your career in life, developing the right people skills will make you the invaluable leader others will come to for help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIMgLI-LPhw Jeff Baldassari is the Founder and CEO of The Competitive Edge Group and the author of "From Associate to Ambassador: The Distinctive Skills Every Law Firm Associate Must Master to Enjoy an Exceptional Career." He practiced law for five years at the national law firm BakerHostetler and served as president and CEO of two manufacturers for 21 years. Today, Jeff shares his unique insights on the importance of people skills, mentorship, networking, and interpersonal skills in the legal profession and beyond. Quotes “Everything in life is easy until people get involved.” – Jeff Baldassari "You can't be a one-dimensional person; you have to be multifaceted. You need to develop a personality, something outside the practice of law, because that helps you connect with people on a deeper level." – Jeff Baldassari “Go where the clients are, go where the customers go, and network. They won’t always be in your immediate world, so connect with spaces that are adjacent to what you do.” – Jeff Baldassari Takeaways 07:09 Developing strong people skills, such as the ability to motivate, manage, inspire, and influence, is crucial for success in both legal and business careers. 08:46 Consistent practice and reflection are necessary to improve interpersonal skills, regardless of one's natural inclination, as these skills are not typically taught in formal education. 15:10 Networking should focus on adding value to others and building genuine relationships, rather than a direct approach of self-promotion. 17:39 Becoming a well-rounded professional, with interests and knowledge beyond one's specific role or expertise, can help differentiate oneself and foster better connections with clients and colleagues. 28:32 Prioritizing the needs and growth of others, rather than solely focusing on one's own success, can lead to greater fulfillment and career advancement. Resources From Associate to Ambassador by Jeff Baldassari: Learn What Law Schools Don't Teach The Competitive Edge Group: There is no such thing as a perfect business. There will always be challenges. Jeff Baldassari on LinkedIn From Associate to Ambassador: The Distinctive Skills Every Law Firm Associate Must Master to Enjoy an Exceptional Career by Jeff Baldassari on Amazon

Rene Brent is a certified clinical hypnotherapist with over 25 years of experience as a registered nurse. She is an international speaker and faculty member at the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. Rene is the author of the international bestselling book "How Big is Your Butt," which offers practical exercises for understanding and overcoming mental blocks. Her work focuses on helping people tap into their subconscious mind and break through emotional barriers using scientific approaches to personal development. Hypnotist Rene Brent, from Practice Happy Now, is a professional garage door opener. She believes that your brain is running an old program and can help you to get rid of false beliefs. She wants you to allow your subconscious mind to move you away from pain and towards pleasure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62HAykLqrh8 Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Hypnosis is like being a professional garage door opener—I help people open that garage door, hold the flashlight, and let them figure out what's blocking the door.” – Rene Brent “The subconscious mind defines and runs about 95% of your day. So if you don't know what's going on in that garage, then someone else is driving the car, for sure.” – Rene Brent “Your body acts as your emotional GPS, which is why we use expressions like gut-wrenching, sick to my stomach, or heartbroken—it's your body's way of communicating with you.” – Rene Brent Takeaways: 01:46 Your subconscious mind runs 95% of your daily actions and can be redirected through specific mental techniques. 08:07 Breathing and accepting emotional sensations can help release stress and gain mental clarity. 12:09 Visualizing your desired day and emotional state before waking up can help set a positive mental framework. 16:06 False beliefs formed before age 10 can significantly impact your current perception and behavior. 20:23 Procrastination is often a protective mechanism driven by fear of failure. Resources How Big Is Your BUT (Kindle Book) Practice Happy Now: 2 free meditations (Book)

Jim Palmer is a marketing and business building expert who helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses. He is the founder of the Dream Business Academy and the Dream Business Coaching and Mastermind Program. Jim hosts Dream Business Coach TV, a web TV show, and Stick Like Glue Radio, a weekly podcast. He is also the author of the book Decide. Jim is known for creating No Hassle Newsletters, a program that helps businesses with their newsletter marketing. Jim Palmer is the Newsletter Guru and Dream Business Coach. He believes marketers should setup a Million Dollar Platform that includes email marketing, ezines, newsletters, and more. Many people lack focus and aren't finding their best customers. You should also mail a 4-page physical newsletter once a month to your best customers to retain those customers and get yourself some repeat, high-ticket sales. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maBdhMe8eaw Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Starting a question with ‘Can I just’ is a limiting thought, as it implies you're already doubting your ability to do it all or your willingness to take it on fully.” – Jim Palmer “The largest cost that most businesses have is the cost of acquiring a new customer.” – Jim Palmer “People don't necessarily want to read everything about your business and what you do. It's important to have a balance of what can be considered relevant and non-relevant material.” – Jim Palmer Takeaways: 02:31 Many business owners struggle because they try to do too much and don’t focus on what works best for them. 09:01 Doing many types of marketing, like email, books, and video, helps reach more customers because everyone learns differently. 13:10 Outsourcing most tasks lets you spend more time on important work that grows your business. 20:41 Sending a printed newsletter every month helps keep your business in customers’ minds. 28:24 Spending money to keep your customers is important because it costs more to find new ones.

Dan Englander is the founder of Sales Schema, a company that helps agency owners and project-based businesses get more clients and grow their accounts. He was the first employee at the animation studio Idea Rocket, where he played a key role in growing the business from the ground up. Dan is also an author, having written "Mastering Account Management" and "The B2B Sales Blueprint." He lives in New York and works with creative agencies, especially those offering services like websites and video production. Dan Englander from SalesSchema.com has some great information for you about marketing funnels and automation. Dan lands many new clients using outbound email marketing, virtual assistants, and phone closing. He also has used some unique strategies to land new business. For example, he's contacted up-and-coming tech companies mentioned on CrunchBase or checking job posting on sites like Indeed and AngelList, who needed services such as animation videos. He also walks us through his process of qualifying his process, getting those leads to the proposal stage, feeling them out with test closes, handling objects and feedback, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fqy0zhf3VY Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “It's very hard to completely and to automate human empathy, and that's really what sales entails.” – Dan Englander “Sales calls quickly reveal your position in the market, often much faster than any number of survey funnels can.” – Dan Englander “If I can learn, teach, or sell something every day, I’ll progress much faster than if I isolate myself from the world.” – Dan Englander Takeaways: 01:50 Using sales tricks like fake deadlines in one-on-one emails can hurt trust if you don’t have a real reason for them. 06:02 Building your own list of leads is better than buying a pre-made list because you learn more and get better results. 14:57 Personalizing emails, even with simple details like recent company changes, makes your outreach more effective. 18:27 It’s better to ask someone if they can chat before sending a calendar link, so it feels more personal. 21:52 On the first call, make sure the person has a real need, is a decision maker, has a budget, and is ready to start soon.

Joshua Adams is the founder of Rock Paper Simple, a company that helps businesses create websites that focus on marketing and results. With over 14 years of experience in web design, marketing, and branding, Joshua works with business owners to make sure their websites do more than just look good—they help bring in customers. Joshua often speaks at events and colleges about web design and marketing. Joshua Adams from Rock Paper Simple wants his agency to help you create a marketing-focused website that's them-centric, with clear navigation, that speaks directly to visitors and makes conversions. Be sure to claim his free self audit worksheet to find out how your website measures up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrvRr7j7XI0 Seven steps to creating a marketing-focused website: 1. Shut up and listen (know thyself, benefits, goals)2. Plan for results (design, words, pages)3. Direct traffic (differentiate value of pages, decide on three most important services, call-to-action on homepage/sidebar)4. Them-centric copy (wording that's beneficial to them)5. Convert (phone number, working form, less fields)6. Simplify navigation7. Rock the visuals Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “People really don't care who you are or what you know until they know that you either care about them or have value for them.” – Joshua Adams “If you don't plan, you're just not going to get to that end goal. If you don't have a destination, you'll never get there.” – Joshua Adams “Marketing serves as the intermediary step leading to sales. While the ultimate goal is achieving sales, marketing is driven by the intention to fulfill a specific purpose.” – Joshua Adams Takeaways: 01:16 Focusing on marketing when building a website helps businesses get better results. 05:31 Making your website about your customers, not just your business, is important. 19:31 Setting clear goals for your website is a key first step. 25:05 Make it easy for visitors to take action, like buying or signing up. 36:35 Simple and clear navigation helps people use your website without confusion. Resources Web design agency: Rock Paper Simple Case study: Sorensen Moving & Storage Self Audit Worksheet  

Tracy Goodwin is a voice expert and the owner of Captivate the Room, where she helps people improve their speaking skills and confidence. With over 20 years of experience and two master’s degrees, Tracy has coached hundreds of clients worldwide. She hosts a podcast and offers a free video series called The Voice Formula, along with online courses and group programs. Tracy Goodwin from Captivate the Room can help you become a better speaker by improving your voice. Tracy says that your voice's muscle memory can be trained. You can retrain those good speaking habits that you might have previously lost over time and rediscover your real voice. Many people have incorrectly tempered their voice, leading to that "stuck in the back of your throat" speaking style with dropped endings on sentences. Others forget to have tempering variety and still others forget to breathe when speaking. Tracy wants you to speak with a pattern of unpredictability, to show vulnerability and be authentic. Break down your speaking strengths and weaknesses into the five elements of variety: 1. pausing2. elongation3. pitch4. volume5. speed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTYn1bBt0bQ Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “We are all essentially born speaking in our true voice, rich with beautiful nuances, but as we grow older and accumulate experiences, we tend to hold that back.” – Tracy Goodwin “The voice is your most powerful tool, as it breathes life into your words and distinguishes you from others.” – Tracy Goodwin “Research reveals that every 90 seconds, the brain signals us to disengage. When our vocal delivery becomes predictable, we inadvertently give our audience the green light to lose focus.” – Tracy Goodwin Takeaways: 02:02 Many people hold back their real voice because of past experiences or fear of judgment. 07:50 Common problems with speaking include holding your voice in your throat, not using enough variety, and forgetting to breathe. 13:03 Setting a moderate pace, pitch, and volume helps make your speaking more interesting. 22:27 Using pauses, elongation, pitch, volume, and speed adds variety and keeps listeners interested. 32:54 Tracy offers a free voice assessment if you send her a short audio or video clip.

Dina Proctor is a life and business coach and the best-selling author of "Madly Chasing Peace: How I Went from Hell to Happy in Nine Minutes a Day." She created the 3x3 meditation technique, which means meditating for three minutes, three times a day. Dina’s work focuses on helping people use short, focused meditation to improve their lives, health, and mindset. Dina Proctor, author of Madly Chasing Peace, wants you to meditate in short bursts: just three minutes, three times a day. Dina was battling clinical depression, planning her suicide and dealing with alcohol addiction when she began to sit still and focus on her breathing for just a few minutes a day. After eight weeks, that nagging inner voice in her head was gone and she was able to focus on every activity at hand. She found that inner peace and wisdom, and wants to show you how to do the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg3HSjIYw3U Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Anything we want to manifest in our external world starts within. We don’t always need to know exactly what we want, because our higher guidance already knows what will truly fulfill us.” – Dina Proctor “I truly believe that meditation, for me, isn’t an activity—it’s a state of being.” – Dina Proctor “If you’re playing full out, it works. But if you’re half texting and half meditating, it’s not going to be effective.” – Dina Proctor Takeaways: 00:55 Using short, focused meditation several times a day can help change your mindset and life. 02:48 Giving your mind a simple task during meditation, like counting backwards, can help quiet busy thoughts. 08:31 Building a meditation habit is like building a muscle; it gets easier with practice over time. 19:31 Even a few minutes of meditation, done regularly, can lead to big changes in how you feel and think. 26:07 If you don’t take care of your inner self, outside achievements can feel empty.

Stephen Christopher is the founder of Sequest Digital Marketing, a company that helps businesses improve their online presence through services like SEO, pay-per-click advertising, and web design. He is also the host of the Business Revolution podcast, where he talks with entrepreneurs and shares advice about business growth. Stephen has experience running several businesses and is known for focusing on what his company does best, while also making sure his clients are well taken care of. Stephen Christopher from Seequs.com wants to help you with your organic search results, pay per click advertising, and web design. Choose the top one to three objectives for your website: that's usually for your hot, warm, and cold leads. For example, your hottest prospects who want to buy right now could be looking for a phone number, the warm leads might fill out a contact form to request service, and the cold leads might only want to signup for a video or short report. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFN66zC_75Q Don't take anything for granted, be super persistent (failure leads to perspective). Change the "bad" things about your business. Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Client success is not optional. We’re committed to providing as much guidance as possible because their success—both within our work and overall—is essential to us.” –Stephen Christopher “Never give up. There is always a way to make what you want happen. What you're doing right now might not be the right approach, so if you fail, it's time to shift your perspective.” – Stephen Christopher “Sometimes you might be doing something with the potential to succeed, but it’s not aligned with who you are or who you’re truly trying to become.” – Stephen Christopher Takeaways: 01:02 Focus on what your business does best and let go of the rest. 06:17 Make your website easy for visitors to take action, like calling or filling out a form. 12:32 Good communication and customer service are very important for keeping clients happy. 21:53 Learn from mistakes and use them to build a better business. 26:53 Set clear company values and use them to guide your decisions. Resources: Seequs SEO agency, Business Revolution Podcast, Business Revolution Facebook Group Case studies: Petri Plumbing and Hal Elrod

Avalaura Gaither is an intuitive consultant, life coach, and author with a background in psychology and social work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work from Howard University. Avalaura is the author of two books, "Power" and "Bliss," which focus on reclaiming personal strength and living a life filled with passion and purpose. She also runs Avalaura’s Healing Center and is active as a speaker and meditation guide. Avalaura Gaither has a background in psychology and social work. She found herself trapped in her career and became an entrepreneur by becoming a guide for others in the areas of daily self-care, meditation, and stress relief. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPf5WhQPMqo Quotes:                                                                                                                                     “Get your mind right, your business will be tight.” – Avalaura Gaither “The painful stuff—that’s where the magic is. It’s where you discover your true purpose and what will set you apart from everyone else.” – Avalaura Gaither “People bring things out of you that you can't bring out of yourself.” – Avalaura Gaither Takeaways: 01:37 It’s important to know yourself and your reasons before starting a business.  09:57 Doing personal work and asking yourself honest questions helps you figure out what kind of business fits you.  19:08 Reading about self-care is not enough; you have to take daily action to see real change.  20:01 Meditation can be adjusted to fit your schedule and needs, not just done one way.  25:27 Having a coach or guide can help you find the right approach for your personality, instead of just following a book. Resources Avalaura's Healing Center (Website) Bliss: A Practical Guide to Living a Life of Purpose & Pleasure (Website) Power: Escaping the Fear from Within (Website)

Katrina Sawa is a business coach known as the "Jumpstart Your Business Coach." She is the author of the book "Love Yourself Successful" and the creator of the Jumpstart Your Biz in 90 Days system. Katrina helps entrepreneurs, especially those who are not tech-savvy, grow their businesses both online and offline by focusing on practical marketing strategies, networking, and building supportive relationships. Katrina Sawa has a lot to say about networking, social media, landing speaking gigs, and making money doing what you love. She gets 60-65 speaking gigs per year. She says you should become a member of multiple speaker associations and private message prospects on Facebook and LinkedIn using her templates, and later move them off social media to help them and their businesses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbctIq5Rjfw Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Your website is your most important marketing tool—it should be the central hub of your business, where everything flows in and out.” – Katrina Sawa “If you can meet people in person, it's often faster to build relationships and move them to the next step than if they’re just an online friend or follower.” – Katrina Sawa “If you want to delegate, it might only cost a few hundred dollars a month to offload tasks, allowing you to be more consistent.” – Katrina Sawa Takeaways: 02:01 If people around you are not supportive, you need to either communicate better, set boundaries, or move on. 06:48 You don’t have to learn every technical skill—hire someone to help with things like websites if it’s not your strength. 13:42 Every business website should have an opt-in box, a freebie, and some kind of email marketing. 16:00 Reaching out to people on social media and moving the conversation to a phone call can lead to speaking gigs and new business. 24:32 Being consistent with your marketing and getting help from a team, even if it costs a little, is important for business growth. Resources Three Business-Building Gifts (Website) Love Yourself Successful (Free Gifts) Jumpstart Your Marketing (Katrina Sawa's Products)

Joe Apfelbaum is the CEO and co-founder of Ajax Union, a digital marketing agency based in Brooklyn. He is a public speaker, certified Google trainer, and a published business author. Joe also hosts the CEO Mojo podcast and runs a weekly video show called GrowTime.tv. He is currently working on his book, "Average Joe to CEO." Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union, has had quite an entrepreneurial journey and wants you to live a life of purpose, on purpose. Topics covered: how to get past the rough years, discover your reason, develop an abundance mindset the difference between being "satisfied" (a temporary solution to hunger which is a slow painful death) and being fulfilled (self aware and successful with perspective) how to focus on one thing: how Joe went from being spread too thin with seven side businesses, to making a lot of income in a short amount of time (less is more) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic_ieQJcGLM Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Don't just have a purpose—live with purpose. Even when you breathe, do it with intention. Take a deep breath, fill your lungs completely, and breathe with purpose.” – Joe Apfelbaum “Success looks different for everyone. Most people don’t actually know what success means for them because they’re too busy measuring it against someone else’s.” – Joe Apfelbaum “People will either love you or hate you, but most are just stuck in mediocrity.” – Joe Apfelbaum Takeaways: 00:58 Being passionate about your business is important for long-term success. 03:07 If you want to make money, focus on adding real value to others. 06:39 The people you spend time with can affect your mindset and success. 12:31 It’s good to feel fulfilled, but you should always keep your hunger to grow. 15:31 You need to find a balance between working hard and enjoying the moment. Resources Ajax Union (Facebook) Joe Apfelbaum's (Blog) CEO Mojo (Website) Ajax Union(Website) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvpQzKaHSXI  

Many content creators face spending countless hours on podcast production. But smart content creators embrace the power of automation and AI in their content creation process as their new team members, working around the clock to streamline workflows and enhance their creative output. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLmqCNzICp0 Mark Savant is the owner of Mark Savant Media, a resource for business owners, coaches, and personal brand builders. He is a podcasting and automation expert who has produced thousands of episodes for himself and his clients. Today, Mark shares his insights on using AI tools like ChatGPT and Zapier to automate various aspects of podcast production, from script generation to post-production follow-up, ultimately creating win-win solutions for podcasters, guests, and clients. Mark emphasizes the importance of experimenting with AI and technology, as he believes that businesses that fail to adapt will not be able to compete in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Quotes “If you're not automating processes, not using AI in your workflows, and not empowering your team with AI, you're probably going to be bankrupt within the next several years. You just won't be able to compete.” – Mark Savant "Creating more win-win solutions through automation, AI, and technology is where every business owner should be focused right now. It's highly accessible and can make a significant difference." – Mark Savant “If you're not experimenting with AI and technology today, your business could be dead in four years. It simply won't survive. You need to start exploring AI and tech now, before it's too late.” – Mark Savant Takeaways 02:33 Automating content creation workflows using AI tools like ChatGPT and Zapier can save significant time and increase efficiency, allowing businesses to be more competitive. 16:15 Leveraging forms to provide structured input to ChatGPT can lead to high-quality, customized content outputs that require minimal human intervention. 18:56 Automating post-production tasks, such as follow-up with podcast guests, can create win-win solutions that benefit the podcaster, guests, and clients. 19:45 Developing a problem-solving mindset and surrounding oneself with others tackling similar challenges can help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of implementing AI and automation. 24:22 Experimenting with AI and technology is crucial for businesses to stay relevant and avoid being left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Resources Mark Savant Media & Podcast Services: We put you on calls with your ideal customer through done-for-you podcasts. Mark Savant on Facebook Mark Savant on LinkedIn

Petra Monaco is an author, entrepreneur, and coach who helps women build confidence, take action, and create the life they want. She is known for her book about dreaming, believing, and taking action, and she also runs a blog at PetraMonaco.com where she shares advice on mindset, boundaries, and self-care. Petra has experience as a single parent and has overcome personal challenges, which she now uses to guide others through coaching and online courses. Petra Monaco from PetraMonaco.com wants to give you more confidence and a bigger vision, so you can push yourself further. She also provides coaching for authors to deal with mindset, accountability, and excuses. She sells a course about how to start an Etsy e-commerce store selling handmade goods. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4HR6xotx7w Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Boundaries are a form of self-care, not something that's going to constrict you or make you rigid.” – Petra Monaco “If something is draining you, ask yourself: Is this really something I need to be doing, should be doing, or even want to be doing?” – Petra Monaco “You can't change a habit or adapt to a new routine in just a week. It often takes two to three weeks to fully implement.” – Petra Monaco Takeaways: 01:11 Everyone struggles with confidence and motivation, and it’s normal to have ups and downs. 03:08 Focusing on what you can do in the next 90 days helps keep goals realistic and manageable. 07:43 Building new routines takes time and commitment, and it’s important to decide what matters most. 09:37 Setting boundaries in your schedule is a form of self-care and helps prevent burnout. 20:00 Journaling about your fears can help you understand and challenge what’s holding you back.

Douglas Karr is the founder of the Marketing Technology Blog and the CEO of DK New Media, an agency that helps marketing technology companies with their inbound marketing strategies. He is also the author of "Corporate Blogging for Dummies," where he shares his expertise in the world of corporate blogging and online marketing. Douglas Karr from The Marketing Tech Blog stops by to talk about monetizing a blog. The game has changed, and search engines now reward quality over quantity. This means that to build trust and authority, you should spend more time on your content, republishing and update content as needed. Educate your customers early, and inform them about helpful tools or how something in your business was created. Create an editorial calendar with 12 subjects and 4 subtopics to keep your content marketing consistent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvGs94bSUQ0 Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Everything we do online revolves around authority and trust. You need to establish authority first, and once you earn trust, people will be willing to do business with you.” – Douglas Karr “If you have exceptional content, you'll consistently attract attention, no matter the source.” – Douglas Karr “Stop focusing solely on constant production, as it can wear you down and lead to a decline in quality.” – Douglas Karr Takeaways: 02:31 Good blog content should be updated and improved over time instead of just making new posts all the time. 05:36 Most conversations about your blog now happen on social media, not in blog comments. 08:43 Building trust and authority with your audience is more important than just posting a lot. 14:13 Updating old blog posts with new information can help them rank higher in search results again. 26:37 It’s important to have a clear call to action on your blog so readers know what to do next.

Laura Pennington is a former inner-city teacher who transitioned into a successful career as a freelance writer, virtual assistant, and project manager. She is the owner of Six Figure Writing Secrets and Your Way to VA, where she helps others build sustainable freelance businesses from home. Laura is also an author and course creator, offering resources and training for aspiring writers and virtual assistants. Laura Pennington left her job as a 7th grade teacher to become a freelance writer and virtual assistant. She has advice about getting initial clients, scaling your business, and filling your schedule with nothing but your ideal clients. 1. evaluate your own experiences: you don't need to have been good in the past (office skills, data entry, phone calls)2. work samples (logos, write a white paper, write blog posts)3. marketing plan (job boards, contracts)4. long-term marketing (cold calls, chamber of commerce meetings, trade shows conferences) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atPvL_HT_zk Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “The days of working at the same company for 30 years and retiring with a pension are gone. At this point, we don’t even know if Social Security and Medicare will be there when we retire.” – Laura Pennington “The way you build your business and the clients you choose to work with play a crucial role in shaping your lifestyle.” – Laura Pennington “Once someone finds a good freelancer, they have no reason to look elsewhere. Not only will they continue to order from you, but they’ll also refer to their friends.” – Laura Pennington Takeaways: 04:42 Freelancing can start as a side job and grow into a full-time career if you want it to. 07:26 Picking the right clients and saying no to bad fits helps avoid burnout and low pay. 12:35 Focusing on repeat clients and steady work makes freelancing more stable. 15:07 Choosing a specialty or niche lets you charge more and stand out from other freelancers. 28:28 Raising your rates over time is important so you don’t get stuck working for too little. Resources Your Way to VA (Website) Six Figure Writing Secrets (Website) Laura Pennington's Courses on Teachable (Courses)

Deborah Ager is the founder of Radiant Media Labs and creator of the Book Activation Method workshop. She is an author who has written and co-edited several books, and she helps experts turn their knowledge into published books to grow their businesses, gain visibility, and attract more clients. Deborah has a background in both marketing and writing, and she uses her experience to guide business owners through the process of planning, writing, and using a book as a business tool. Deborah Ager from Radiant Media Labs and creator of The Book Activation Method wants you to embrace your fear and use it to move forward. She also wants to get a book out of you in the following steps: 1. master market and idea2. align with mission: book sales, speaking, which publisher, authority3. mining your material: blog posts, existing presentations, themes and ideas4. mark out the tools: find the time/space to write, calendars, Evernote5. map your mind: get messy with a mindmap6. brain to book: break to-do list into do-able chunks, word count or time goal, schedule, write or speak7. marketing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Hw8Y1w3OI Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “We’re not fighting fear or trying to eliminate it. Instead, I’d rather embrace it because it’s going to show up no matter what.” – Deborah Ager “When we're experts around our own topic, it's hard for us to see it with fresh eyes.” – Deborah Ager “When you share stories, especially case studies, people feel more connected rather than feeling like they’re being sold to.” – Deborah Ager Takeaways: 02:26 Many people are afraid to start writing a book, but taking small steps every day can help move past that fear. 05:02 Before writing, it’s important to know who your book is for and how it will help your business. 08:31 A book doesn’t have to be long; even a short book can be useful if it shares your main ideas clearly. 10:49 It’s normal to feel nervous as you finish your book, but looking back at your past work can help you feel more confident. 13:04 Using your old blog posts, talks, or presentations can make writing your book easier.

Rob Slee is an author, investment banker, mentor, and business owner who specializes in helping entrepreneurs and freelancers increase the value of their time. He wrote the book "Time Really Is Money," which explains how people can scale their businesses and focus on higher-value activities to earn more per hour. Rob Slee, author of Time Really is Money, wants to help you scale to a: $50/hour business (where you are the value proposition) $500/hour (where you manage employees) $5000/hour (where you only deal with the culture, niches, and business model) $50k/hour (changing industries) $5m/hour (changing the world) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQBwtSyltIc Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “Working the hardest and putting in the most hours doesn’t necessarily equate to value—it often just leads to early heart attacks.” – Rob Slee “The higher you go in the value ladder, the fewer hours you work, but the more value you create.” – Rob Slee “We all settle at our comfort level, sticking to tasks we know how to do—sometimes better than anyone we could hire. As owners of our time, whether we run a business or manage our own schedules, we tend to fall into familiar routines.” – Rob Slee Takeaways: 01:53 If you own your time, you should focus on the tasks that create the most value, not just work harder. 04:43 Spend your time on high-value activities and let others handle the lower-value tasks, even if they don’t do them perfectly. 08:24 Build simple systems or checklists for tasks you outsource so you don’t have to keep explaining things. 18:36 Write down how you spend your time for a week to see where you can make changes and focus on higher-value work.

  Nathan Hirsch is a serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and e-commerce. He is the founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com, a platform that connects businesses with reliable remote workers, and the co-founder and CEO of Portlight. Nathan started his entrepreneurial career by selling textbooks in college before building a successful $7 million Amazon drop shipping business. Nathan Hirsch from Freeeup.com has several insights about outsourcing your team in the departments of biz-opp, e-commerce, marketing, and web development. Nathan began his entrepeneurial journey wiht a business that re-sold textbooks, and has since branched out to supplying workers for e-commerce businesses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydugz61oyfY Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “If you can identify businesses that people rely on but that fail to satisfy the end consumer, that’s a great opportunity to step in and create change.” – Nathan Hirsch “If you're not making your end customer happy, eventually someone else is going to find a way to do it.” – Nathan Hirsch “I'm all about calculated risk. If this business is doing well, why not pursue it? I can always go back and apply for jobs later.” – Nathan Hirsch Takeaways: 01:14 Starting a business by solving a problem you see around you can lead to success. 04:58 Making customers happy should be the main focus of any business. 06:21 Doing all the work yourself at first helps you understand your business before hiring others. 13:26 Hiring can take a lot of time, so finding a faster way to get good workers is important. 23:05 Always have training materials ready so you can easily replace team members if needed. Visit the Freeeup Marketplace Page on Facebook

Corinna Essa is an internationally recognized expert in social media marketing and the owner of Social Media Worldwide, a company that helps businesses grow their online presence without having to manage the day-to-day work themselves. She is known for her practical approach to social media, focusing on building real connections and providing value before making sales. Corinna is also an author and shares her knowledge through her blog and YouTube channel, both named Social Media Worldwide. Corinna Essa from Social Media Worldwide wants to help you and your social media marketing efforts. She has a unique strategy when it comes to social media, which involves spending $1000 on an initial ad campaign to a free offer with no call-to-action, to then retarget (cookie) your best prospects and run ads to that already-engaged-audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8woxN8tOQyg Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “When everyone starts doing the same thing, then it stops working. Marketers destroy everything, because they overdo things and then it stops working for everyone else who jumped on it a bit too late.” – Corinna Essa “Getting cold traffic is easy—almost every social network now offers advertising tools. Getting clicks and traffic isn’t the hard part; the real challenge is driving conversions.” – Corinna Essa “People forget the importance of warm traffic, and they don't take the time to turn cold traffic into warm traffic.” – Corinna Essa Takeaways: 00:52 Social media works best when you focus on giving value and building trust before trying to sell anything. 04:42 Paid ads should first send people to useful content, not straight to a sales page. 12:33 If you post for free, aim for about 80% helpful content and only 20% promotion. 16:01 Using retargeting lets you show sales ads only to people who already showed interest in your first ad. 21:49 Turning cold traffic into warm traffic takes time and money, but it leads to better results in the long run. Resources Social Media Worldwide (Website) Social Media Worldwide (Blog) Social Media Worldwide (YouTube)

Gerald Leonard, author of The Culture is the Bass, has advice for you on developing a company culture that works. If you're tired of miscommunications and employee turnover, and you want a team that works together, then you'll want to tune in to discover the seven principles you could be missing; vision: interest in a goal or dream values: actionable items that govern behavior buy-in stories best practices environment execution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvh6caivdhI

Larry Becht from The Expert Media Group has a lot to say about ClickFunnels, his preferred tool of choice for setting up landing pages and funnels, especially since it now includes "Backpack" for running an affiliate program and "Actionetics" for tracking your visitors. Larry specializes done-for-you website setup and you'll want to hear his thoughts about hiring a professional to setup your pages quickly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkAj12gfJ7g

Marty McDonald from Bad Rhino Inc. stops by to share some interesting social media marketing strategies that can apply to any business, online or offline. Marty shares some case studies with Victory Beer and Blind Squirrel Apparel and how he's been able to track improvement with his clients while being entertaining with his content and marketing specific calls-to-action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4hj-eSXxXk

Is it actually possible to market your business in a way that feels authentic and relatable? Yes it is! Instead of the usual sales pitch, consider sharing your passions and expertise openly. Doing this can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level, fostering genuine relationships and building trust in your brand.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X6bQQnZ7O0 Sarah Reeder is the CEO of Artifactual History, a company that specializes in appraising art and antiques. As a certified member of the Appraisers Association of America and the International Society of Appraisers, Sarah has extensive experience working with high-net-worth individuals, museums, and auction houses. Today, Sarah discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of being an appraiser, including the need to maintain client confidentiality, the process of conducting appraisals, and the importance of educating the public about the art and antiques industry. Quotes “It liberates me to just share what I love and find exciting about art, antiques, and what drew me to the field in the first place.” – Sarah Reeder "The more I've detached from outcomes, the more fun I've had and the more wonderful people I've met." – Sarah Reeder “We have the creative power to make our own decisions and figure out what will work best for us. I encourage people to experiment—just try out what feels truly enjoyable and authentic to you and see where that takes you.” – Sarah Reeder Takeaways 01:19 Appraisers must maintain client confidentiality, which can make it challenging to share their expertise publicly, but they can find creative ways to educate and engage the public about the art and antiques industry. 15:45 Entrepreneurs should focus on sharing their authentic passions and philosophies, rather than chasing the latest marketing trends, as this can lead to more meaningful connections and aligned clients. 22:00 Detaching from immediate outcomes and taking a long-term, "garden mentality" approach to content creation and community building can be more fulfilling and impactful in the long run. 30:10 Collaborating with like-minded individuals, whether colleagues or friends, can make the entrepreneurial journey less lonely and more enjoyable. 33:59 Embracing the creative power to make one's own decisions and find what works best, rather than blindly following prescriptive advice, can lead to more fulfilling and successful entrepreneurial endeavors. Resources Worthwhile Magazine: Since knowledge is power, we believe an open dialogue about connoisseurship is worthwhile. Artifactual History®: Fine Art and Antique Appraiser Sarah Reeder on LinkedIn

Can you relate to having "too many ideas" and you're not sure if any are any good? Maybe you've done the legwork for this website or that website... registered some domain names, setup an empty WordPress blog that will "one day" hold your membership site... maybe you've bought some resale rights content... Maybe you've recorded some interviews, videos, audios, or written some sort of report down that you one day want to put into a membership site... a site where someone pays you to get access. And then what happened? Life got in the way, right? Something came across that was more urgent and you had to switch gears to make money now... Or you came across something more exciting and you said... I'll put my current hopes and dreams on the "back burner" to try something else... I'm not sure about your current situation, but many people that are currently struggling with making money and creating a profitable membership site have this problem: -- not enough time, too distracted, too overwhelmed, too stressed out -- confusion about what to do next or what to "click" and generally getting FRUSTRATED with websites in general And even worse, the "sting" every time you check your internet marketing business on your phone or your computer. I'm sure you know what the sting is: there's a little of bit of that sting or that anxiety when you check your email, stats and sales and the number is either at zero or you wish it was way higher another bill for that web host, a quick charge for those handful of domain names you didn't use... should I continue renewing those domain names every year or cut some of them loose? And then what was I paying that yearly domain fee for? thinking about or browsing through the massive clutter of half finished projects, ideas, websites, and files... just a huge mess... sting wondering if this will all be worth it and feeling the "lifetime cost" of all the little e-books and things continues to pile up and sting... Can I tell you what my personal opinion is (which you can say is either right or wrong) about you, your upcoming membership site, and the future of you and your online business? You may have heard that you should narrow your focus down to just one website at a time, dedicate X days or X hours to getting it done... Maybe you've also heard that you should make the simplest, ugliest, most no-frills site as possible that DOES have a buy button, so you can get just one member and go from there... And... what is/was very reassuring to me is that after you FINISH that first money making site (FINISH meaning you get one single paying member) then not only does it become a lot easier to make your next site (because you've done it before), it's actually more fun because you now know this money making thing "works" and isn't just a hobby... So can I tell you what I "think" you should do today? Unsolicited Piece of Advice #1: Drain the Website Swamp Your previous websites, business expenses, half finished sites, etc. don't matter. If you have a mess of a folder, a mess of 10 half finished sites and you aren't making progress on any of them, isn't it time to clean up the mess and drain that huge "swamp" of stuff? Get some simplicity, clarity, focus? I'm no neat-freak, but if I sit down on the couch to relax and there's papers or "stuff" on the counter, I get huge amounts of anxiety... enough where I can't calm down and I can't think... not a good mental place to be. I'm the same way with any clutter on my desk OR if I have a ton of files on my desktop OR a ton of dangling unfinished projects... Put it all away. You can bring "the mess" back to the forefront after completing just one membership site... so how do you do that? Unsolicited Piece of Advice #2: Make it Pretty and Perfect "Tomorrow" Priorities. What do you need in order to take payments online? a domain name (.com name such as membershipcube.com that people can type in to find your site)

Morgana Rae, author of Financial Alchemy, gives us a healthier, and more productive, approach to handling our relationship with money in the following steps: Uncover the Root Cause of your financial situation (hint-it’s never really about money) Personify the root cause into your "Money Money" Get rid of your Money Monster by any means necessary Meet your new relationship with money—your "Money Honey" Dialogue with your Money Honey Take concrete, measurable action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6qJxk6oX0M Resources Financial Alchemy: The Book (Book) Morgana Rae's Website and Blog (Website and Blog) Does Money Love You? (Website) Money Honey App (Website)

Tashayla Williams from Life Embodied Therapy, a substance abuse counselor, has created a revolutionary new movement for eliminating blocks and achieving fulfillment through artistic and musical forms of expression. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Mmeof-53U

Bailey Richert from Virtual Summit School has made a living by creating online training courses based on website creation and product creation skills. She shares not only how she comes up with product ideas, but how she develops sales letters by re-using the "language" prospects give her. She also explains her 90-day process for running a virtual summit, including: Month 1: planning, speakers, branding Month 2: creating and recording interviews Month 3: launching, speaker followup, execution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--a4xE49Vg4

Have you ever wanted to be more in control, be more determined, make better decisions, miss less opportunities and overcome fear of failure? Aaron Walker of View from the Top stops by to not only share his story with you, but how explain how you can find significance and authenticity through the power of the mastermind and an abundance mindset. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7YvI8-Xz24 Resources Free Personal Assessment (Website) View from the Top (Website) View from the Top Community (Website) Interview Valet Service (Podcast)

Motivational speaker Todd Lemense gives you the baby steps to lose your ego and eliminate distraction so you can live up to your full potential. Eliminate toxic people, become a better communicator, and practice better habits daily to improve your self-esteem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7cVn6H4YcI

Brian Basilico from B2B Interactive Marketing and the author of The Bacon System has a lot to tell you about content marketing. He records monocast or single-person podcast episodes, transforms them into written transcripts, and records expert interviews. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu1Ds_UHyc0

Gina Catalano, the author of Tandem Leadership, an important guide that tells you how to work with others, whether that's an equal business partner or a "number two." She'll help you identify your value system and find that complementary person who is neither your opposite nor your clone, so that you can stop holding yourself back and continue to scale your business to new levels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGgqZwJzcRY Resources TANDEM LEADERSHIP

Lindsey Anderson aka One Click Lindsey has the answers for you about how to build SEO and social media traffic, and run pay-per-click ads. She'll share the important components of a landing page and what to split test, for example, long or short copy. She also tells us about her 12-part autoresponder sequece to convert cold traffic into warm leads, and make sales. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdIR5V0Hjuo

Corey Porier from The Speaking Program and The Passion Cure has interviewed thousands of high-earners and high-achievers and discovered their commonalities. The top three qualities that he's seen over and over again are: 1. focus or the ability to go all-in: take that single pass and say "no" to most ideas2. life-long learners and leaders: successful people can sift through the ocean of information to find that small amount of wisdom3. live with passion: successful people have found their purpose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLaKlLILYVI

How is it possible to attract new clients using mobile video marketing? Harnessing the visual appeal and accessibility of mobile videos can help businesses effectively connect with potential clients and drive engagement. There is huge potential in leveraging video content to engage audiences on mobile devices so it is important to take advantage of it while you still can to grow your client base. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJaivpmcWaI Hugo E. Gomez is the founder and legal marketing strategist of Abogados Now, a national Spanish marketing agency helping attorneys connect with Hispanic communities. His expertise in Spanish advertising has enabled professionals to tap into the fastest growing demographic that is vastly under-marketed to. Today, Hugo talks about effective digital marketing strategies for attorneys to authentically connect with Spanish-speaking communities. He emphasizes the need for authenticity and personability over production value, as well as the value of consistent content creation and publishing to build trust and reach a wider audience. Quotes “The more money you spend on production, the less likely it is that it's going to work.” – Hugo E. Gomez "It's not the asset; it's the creation and publishing of the assets every day." – Hugo E. Gomez “Perfection is overrated. It's the enemy of profitability.” – Hugo E. Gomez Takeaways 02:44 Authenticity and personability are more important than production value when creating content to connect with consumers. 06:11 Consistent content creation and publishing, even in short 30-60 second formats, can lead to significant results through training the algorithm and reaching a wider audience. 12:42 Perfection should not be the enemy of profitability, as taking action and iterating is more important than striving for flawless content. 13:26 Outsourcing content creation and marketing to a specialized agency can alleviate the burden on professionals like attorneys, allowing them to focus on their core business. 18:35 The Hispanic market is an existential threat for businesses not investing in targeted marketing, as it represents a rapidly growing demographic that is currently underserved. Resources Abogados Now: The Nation's Leader in marketing attorneys to Hispanics in the U.S. Abogados Now on Facebook Hugo E. Gomez on LinkedIn

Cythnia Stine from EGrowthPartners is an expert Amazon seller and she wants to help you avoid the loss of your Amazon seller account. Cynthia explains how to build buyer trust, get reviews, keep your account in good standing, and even re-instate your account if necessary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FEpdtpPx4k

If you're not measuring the metrics in your business, then you don't know where you're at! Scott Gombar explains how he uses tools such as Google Analytics, HubSpot, and the Google Search Console to increase search engine rankings, organic traffic, conversions, and therefore sales. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IwydzktQRg

Adam Force from Change Creator Magazine tells us how to be a social entrepreneur, which means we don't only make a profit, but make an impact and cause social change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Z6-Wv1N4E

Damon Damarr from My Lucid Credit tells us how to obtain your credit report (and therefore check your credit score), and clean your credit yourself, which can mean lower interest rates and more opportunities (and options) for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY6Kl7sFTS4

Kurt Elster from EtherCycle and E-Commerce Bootcamp (coupon code ROBERTPLANK) tells us about Shopify, an easy platform to setup an e-commerce store and take payments. He walks us through a case studies of one of his clients, Everest Bands and the steps they took to setup their e-commerce presence: 1. Create Shopify account (14-day trial)2. Setup payment options3. Configure shipping4. Products5. Categories6. Theme7. Copywriting & Unique Selling Proposition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGHbsk910yc

Dr. Joe Martin from Real Men Connect talks about being a positive role model for success. You must question the order or priority of your values with your Creator, with your spouse of partner, with your children, with others, and your calling. Many people see success as a black-and-white proposition and how it relates to their occupation (job), compensation (money), education, and reputation. Instead, redefine them by asking these four questions: 1. Am I leading my family?2. Am I loving others sacrificially?3. Am I leaving a legacy?4. Am I teaching other men? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrG4itsXoMc

Michael Ross from Mainstream Life Solutions and author of A Clear View: Unleashing the Power of a Positive Self-Image wants people to live full, impactful lives. He says that if we can find optimism, it will overcome negativity, give us a better perspective, and lead to better self-esteem. You must improve your values, choices, and your destiny. We are not our thoughts or our history. Business is just people, people are just business, and people are of value. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_zsSwWUeL8

Kelly Roach, the Unstoppable Entrepreneur, understands that you might be lacking knowledge, lacking sales expertise, and that you're probably overwhelmed. She wants you to package yourself to get clients, fill in your gaps by finding the right resources, and limit consumpting by identifying your "why." Even Olympic athletes have coaches to get feedback, discover blind spots, and assess readiness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbLUzmFNsK4

Get ready to hear Michael Jackness from Ecommerce Crew tell the story about how he went from one success to another: from affiliate marketing online poker, to buying and selling domains, to running an e-commerce business. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uL0JsIwa0Y

Ric Thompson from Done For You Solutions wants to know... do you want more time in your life? How about more money and freedom? Outsourcing, outtasking, and creating systems will get you to where you need to go. Dream it, think it out, task and break it down, and then do it -- hire someone faster, cheaper, or better so you can leverage those 24 hours in your day over and over again. [showhide type="transcript" more_text="Display Transcript" less_text="Hide Transcript"]Robert Plank: Our guest today is Ric Thompson. He's the CEO and Founder of Done For You Solutions. His website is DoneForYouSolutions.com and he's helping small businesses around the world put into action the principles he teaches every day as far as outsourcing, as far as getting more leverage in the day, as far as improving the operations of your small businesses. We're going to have a lot of fun, we're going to talk about a lot of ways that everyone listening can get more done in less time and have more fun and remove themselves from the business, so how are things today, Ric? Ric Thompson: Things are fantastic, Robert. Great to be here. Robert Plank: Awesome, I'm glad you're here. As far as what it is you do and as far as outsourcing, what would... Just to make sure we're all on the same page, what is outsourcing and as far as outsourcing goes what makes you stand out, what makes you special? Ric Thompson: Great questions, thanks for that. There is some debate like a technical or legal definition of what outsourcing is. There's a blurring of the words of outsourcing and out-tasking. Without being too anal, shall we say, in general outsourcing is having other people get tasks done that are not inside your company. They're not you, they're not your employees, that you are going beyond those boundaries to get tasks done that have to get done for your business to grow and to succeed. Robert Plank: Okay, great, so then how do you stand out from everyone else who teaches this kind of thing? Ric Thompson: Great question and, of course, a lot of folks do. A lot of folks have heard about the Four-Hour Workweek and getting a virtual assistant. What I came to the realization of was before VAs and outsourcing really became the hot trend I had already been doing that. I had sworn off having employees years ago for a variety of reasons and realized rapidly that you can't rely upon one person to do all the things that need to get done in today's modern world of technology, of business building, of marketing. You've got to have a team. Whether you have... I used to have employees, I had a team, I got away from that, went into the outsourcing and found it was exactly the same thing, it didn't matter. One virtual assistant couldn't do everything. When I started Done For You Solutions back a few years ago I said, okay, I'm going to build this company based upon what I know what works for me which is let's get a team going. Instead of the virtual assistant company I'm a virtual team company. I've got web developers, I've got graphic designers, I've got, yes, virtual assistants, too, and I've got coordinators to help the clients move all that forward. The idea is that with another company if you have a single hole that you need to fill and a VA can fill it, great. For us we fill a wide range of those day-to-day holes, if you will, for website work, for research work or customer support work. Again just a wide range of that, that worker B did A type of stuff, so hit the button and get an entire team instead of having to build yourself one by one. Robert Plank: That's cool and that sounds like... If you hire all these little specialists as opposed to the jack of all trades person then that way you have the best people for each job. You have the best writers, or the best graphic designers, or the best virtual assistants and things like that and because... First of all because you have this team of specialists then you can get the best of everything.

How can thorough research transform your marketing approach? By diving deep into market trends, understanding consumer behavior, and analyzing competitors, businesses can identify strategic opportunities and craft messages that hit the mark. This way, companies can develop a marketing strategy that not only connects with their audience but also stands out in a constantly evolving market. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tlKuSxwQBE Eric V. Holtzclaw is the Founding Partner and Chief Strategist of Liger Partners, a marketing firm helping B2B companies cut through the noise, and the author of “Laddering: Unlocking the Potential of Consumer Behavior.” With over 30 years of experience founding startups and guiding companies to success, Eric has mastered the art of strategic marketing. He understands that with attention spans shrinking and messages proliferating, businesses need to deliver visceral reactions to stand out. Today, Eric shares insights on crafting an effective marketing strategy through research, understanding different skills required, the two types of entrepreneurs, and the importance of consistency. Quotes “Marketing is a combination of technology and understanding your user, so it's a good time to focus on those two aspects. If you have a background in both, you're very well-equipped to succeed in that space.” – Eric V. Holtzclaw "It's always going to be a roller coaster. One minute you're way up, thinking, ‘This is amazing!’ and the next minute, you're wondering, ‘Oh my gosh, why the heck am I doing this?’" – Eric V. Holtzclaw “The secret to success in life and business is consistency.” – Eric V. Holtzclaw Takeaways 03:30 Establishing a strong marketing strategy before execution is crucial for creating authentic, effective marketing that stands out from the competition. 07:10 Successful marketing requires a diverse set of skills, including copywriting, storytelling, and SEO, to effectively reach and engage the target audience throughout a complex sales process. 10:43 Consistency in branding, messaging, and marketing channels is key to building a successful and memorable brand, as it helps the target audience recognize and engage with the company. 13:42 The two types of entrepreneurs - rectifiers and amplifiers - have different motivations and approaches, and understanding one's own entrepreneurial nature can help guide the business-building process. 14:32 Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, and those who succeed often have a deep well of grit and determination to overcome the challenges and ups and downs of building a business. Resources Liger Partners: Be Known for all the right reason Eric V. Holtzclaw on Facebook Eric V. Holtzclaw on LinkedIn Laddering: Unlocking the Potential of Consumer Behavior by Eric V. Holtzclaw on Amazon

Wouldn't it be great if you could tap into a supercomputer and make any decision or solve any problem quicky and easily? You can, and it's called your subconscious mind! Amy Coello stops by the program to tell us how to dream better, remember our dreams, and even set ourselves up for lucid dream, so we can make money while we sleep. [showhide type="transcript" more_text="Display Transcript" less_text="Hide Transcript"]Robert Plank: Amy Coello is going to be talking to us about spiritual dream interpretation, and she is the wife of Robert Coello and the mother of 11 children. A successful author, teacher and business owner with 20 years experience in the legal field. She's currently filming the show "Journey into your dreams" so Amy welcome to the podcast. Amy Coello: Thank you so much for having me. Robert Plank: Glad that you're here so just to kind of kick us off I have two quick questions for you, but I think they're easy questions. The first question is why are dreams so important for us, and the second question is what makes you stand out as opposed to anyone else who does this dream interpretation stuff. Amy Coello: Well they're important because... I've been teaching on dreams for well over a decade I traveled internationally. I've studied every culture out there. I've studied the psychology of dream interpretation the young and the old and the understanding having a tour of a brighter understanding, and everything in between. I really wanted to hone in and grab on what is this. I've always been a dreamer. Of course everybody is a dreamer. One time I had a dream that was so specific and it actually came to pass. It flipped me out. I was like wait a minute there's got to be something to this. I kind of honed in on that, and when I realize I could interpret dreams it was like this parabolic language. This hidden language. I kind of dove in this study and culture. I come from the corporate world. I am in more analytical. I've been in law for 24 years. I ran my own company for a number of years it's kind of like a odd change for me to move from corporate over to spiritual understanding and I think that's what makes me different in that I combine the two. A lot of corporate people either teach from a corporate aspect, and spiritual people teach from a spiritual aspect. Very rarely do you find that type of market where it's both We're starting to see this kind of a up-rise people in the corporate world saying hey there's something bigger out there why don't I take my spiritualism and bring into what I do every single day. Dreams are important because they give divine guidance and divine wisdom, and they will actually give you very specific information about what to do next. They will guide you. I run a mentorship group of corporate people. The mentorship group is called dreams for launch. It's basically gain your dream assignment project into intervention, and bringing that to a place where you launch it. Putting a action play into those dreams. I'm giving an example because it's so interesting because just last... three nights ago I had this dream. It was a very very specific and very clear. I was directed to do a info product on the freedom spirit which basically means how do we walk in love, peace, joy, patients kindness gentleness and self-control. How do we stay in that and not I've home at 5 o'clock in the evening and somebody cut us off and we draw the finger and start cussing. How do we stay in that so that we can hear relevantory information. The moment you step out of that peace love Joy... the moment you step out of that you don't hear anything. Really you're just like fair game to lack of control, chaos, stuff like that. In the dream, I was given this dream and it was a very specific info product to sell and in the dream I was given the introduction. The dream told me, God told, me circle the introduction around perfect love cast not fear. I woke up and I'm like hey that's the next info product.

John Lagoudakis quickly rose in the ranks as a top 100 Clickbank affiliate and has since transitioned into authority sites, list building, and automated webinars. Listen in as he tells us how to break into niches and attain absolute focus while making money online. [showhide type="transcript" more_text="Display Transcript" less_text="Hide Transcript"]Robert Plank: John Lagoudakis is one of Australia's leading internet marketers and back in 2007, he stumbled across affiliate marketing, and within two years was able to go from zero dollars online to being one of ClickBank's top 100 affiliates worldwide. He's been featured in the New York Times best seller, Get Rich Click, list for his book, and has authored several books and has a long running internet marketing podcast. Today, John helps businesses to get more exposure online, more leads, and to make more sales. How are things today, John? John Lagoudakis: Great. Thank you, Robert. Appreciate you having me on your show today. Robert Plank: Awesome. I'm glad you're here and I'm sure that having you on, we'll be able to fill in the gaps for a lot of people. Your whole business and everything you do is through this process called ClickBank. Is that right? John Lagoudakis: That's how I got started. It was a great place to start. There's many ways to get started online. I chose ClickBank. That was really big back in 2007. A lot of people were making good money from it. You didn't have to have your own product. You can promote other people's products, their commissions, excellent. Anywhere between 50 to 75% of the sale is yours. Sometimes even 100%. That was rare. It was easy to promote, too. Back in 2007, you could go onto Google AdWords. You had heaps of traffic. It didn't cost you too much back then. You could do it back then. You can't do that now. It was just very easy. I opened up a Google account, promote the ClickBank products. You could see your commissions instantly. I was totally guilty of this. I think many people are guilty of this. We log into our affiliate accounts and want to see, have we made a sale yet? Have we made a sale yet? It was a fun, easy, way to get started and I had success with it. Robert Plank: Awesome. A couple of things about that, one is that I'm kind of hearing that a few times you're mentioning that maybe in this day and age, is ClickBank still a good option for people to use nowadays? What's changed in the past 10 years or so with ClickBank? John Lagoudakis: ClickBank is still a fantastic place to get started. How you promote your ClickBank products is very different today. As I mentioned, you can't use Google AdWords as an affiliate. You can create your own... Sorry, I should clarify, too. What I mean by that is, I was sending people from Google that would see my ad, that would click on my ad, and they would go straight to the product sales page on ClickBank. It was just my direct affiliate link. You can't do that today, but what you can do is send traffic to your own website where maybe you're reviewing products or you're an authority site and you're recommending products. Whether through your email list or directly on your website through links and banners. You can do it that way, send traffic to your own site and then from there, send them to ClickBank. Robert Plank: That makes sense. What you're saying is basically, just to make sure everyone is all on the same page here, ClickBank is this platform where anyone who wants to sell anything, make a website and then take payments and deliver a product, can deliver that in ClickBank. The power of what you're saying is that they have a huge network of affiliates. If anyone has something to sell on ClickBank, then there's all these affiliates already ready to promote, already plugged in. Then from the point of view of anyone who's first getting started, looking to make that first dollar online, they can register with ClickBank as an affiliate and promote something there.