Get Your Message Heard

OK, no need to bury the lead — the title of this post says it all: “It’s time to hit the pause button on Get Your Message Heard.”  It’s not a hasty (or easy) decision, and it is one that I’ve literally spent the last 3 months debating.  The driving force behind all that deliberation is my core and foundational belief that what matters most for all of us is playing to our strengths as much as we possibly can. It’s simply never made sense to me for people to work so hard on becoming good at stuff they don’t do well when they can create far more impact when they get better at doing the things they already do well.  That’s why I found the book Now Discover Your Strengths by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham so compelling when it first came out. Completing the included assessment and learning my top 5 strengths (from the list of 34 total strengths) was liberating and affirming.  It also put a lot of things into perspective for me. Like why I always think about the bigger picture and believe so strongly in the power of mapping a vision and then speaking it into existence.  You see the Strengths Finder Assessment (now known as the CliftonStrengths Assessment) revealed that four of my five strengths were in the area of strategic thinking and the fifth was in the area of influence. In other words, I am wired to think about what it possible and the to work through others to make the vision a reality.   That explains just about everything I have ever done in my life. And it confirms why so much of my time is spent thinking about the future and seeking ways to make it better than the past.  A side effect of this gifting is the constant evaluation of everything I do with an eye on how it can be made better and whether it should still be done. That latter not being the easiest thing for most of us to think about.  As I’ve traveled the recent journey that’s been shared in the last few episodes of the podcast, one nagging question has haunted my mind daily: Am I spending most of my time doing the work that I do best? The work that I was designed to do.  Why did thinking about that question lead me to the decision to hit pause on the podcast?  Because I realized that the path it was on was not aligned with the path I am evolving in my business. And, more important, that the resources, effort, and energy I was devoting to creating the weekly episodes were being misallocated and keeping me away from doing work that needs to be done to serve the people I am here to serve.  Not an easy, or comfortable, admission, but a necessary one that I believe is 100% correct at this moment in time. Here’s why:  The journey I have been on since I sold my niche business and made the decision to pivot my work has led me to reconnect with my core passions of working with individuals and teams to map strategic visions and communicate them into existence. But that is not what we’ve been talking about on Get Your Message Heard.  That’s because Get Your Message Heard was a key part of my journey to discover (actually rediscover) what really lights me up — the work I want to devote the rest of my life to doing. And, frankly, I am proud of the body of work that came out of that process because I know it will help others as they navigate their path to creating their impact.  But it’s time to take a step away from the weekly work of putting out an episode so I can redirect my effort and energy to creating the foundational messages that will attract the clients I can serve best as I move forward.  Whether that will lead me back to a podcast in the future is unclear to me at this moment. But I know what I most need in my business at this moment in time is a clear path for the people I am here to serve — a path that helps them see what is possible for them and enables them to decide if I am the right person to help them pursue it.  So this episode formally announces my decision to HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON and stop sharing a weekly show UNTIL I gain clarity on how to make the show (or whatever replaces it) serve the audience more than it serves me.  Thank you to all who have listened to the show since it started just over two years ago. I am grateful and it is my sincere hope that you found the insight you needed in the conversations. I hope you’ll stay tuned as things evolve and wish you much success in Getting Your Message Heard and creating your impact on the world.

If you’ve been listening to the last few episodes of Get Your Message Heard, you’ve recognized that a lot of thinking has been going on in my world. In fact, I’ve done more (and better) strategic thinking about my business in 2019 than I have allowed myself to do in a long time.  A big driver of that has been the realignment of myself with my brand and my vision. Let me explain.  For years I’ve been living out of balance. Medicating myself with sugar and riding the emotional roller coaster that comes with that — something that it took me much too long to realize was in my way.  In this week’s episode I share a bit more about that and reveal the real story behind my 60+ pound weight loss, including the inciting incident that ‘woke’ me to the need to FINALLY solve a lifelong problem.  It’s not being shared to push anyone to make a similar journey, but instead to help Get Your Message Heard listeners understand why this change in the way I physically walk the planet now has been so impactful in my vison for my work. If that inspires someone to take action and change something in their life that is in their way, that will be a bonus from sharing the story.  There is one other thing that led me to share my journey back to what I weighed when I graduated from high school — the desire to push the people who listen to the show to think bigger about who they are, why they are here, and what they can accomplish.  I recorded this episode while driving home from 3-days working with a client and meeting with some mastermind colleagues. During the latter I had a photographer grab some new action shots — I simply could not continue to see the disconnect between who I am now and the photos of who I used to be (which still shows on the podcast image, by the way).  As I drove into the sunrise that morning, I was struck by just how much potential we all have and started wondering how many of the people I engage with are trapped by something they have not even acknowledged, let alone taken action to change. So, I opened my Rev.com recording app and decided to record this episode while thinking about that and starting my day.  I hope the story serves you and stimulates you to take action on something that you know you need to fix. Because arriving on the other side a major change amazing. Being forever changed and knowing it is incredible and opens doors you never even knew were closed.  YOUR TURN: I’m curious — what’s your story? What’s in your way that you need to fix? What dream do you have that you’re not pursuing because it feels too big? Please share a comment or send an e-mail to info@michaelhudson.com and let me know how I can help you get started.

What I love most about having a podcast is the chance to dive into deeper conversations about things that intrigue me and will serve you. This week’s interview aligns perfectly with that.  Why did you invite this guy to be a guest?  Sam Qurashi and I met in the Heroic Public Speaking Graduate School program last spring. His soothing presence and amazing voice caught my attention immediately. But more important the way he carried himself and his helpful manner of engaging made me immediately realize that he had a lot of value to deliver to my audience.  That became even more clear when I learned that he had done something few of us do — he started building his audience before he defined and started his business.  The result: He is approaching 300,000 followers on Instagram as he prepares to launch his new business next month.  That’s why I invited him to join me for a conversation and share some insight into how he did it and some advice on what we can do to be more effective in serving people using Instagram.  Before I share a bit about our conversation, let me introduce you to Sam.  Who is this guy?  Sam Qurashi worked as a Psychiatric Resident in an addiction Hospital for about seven years, and throughout that time, he had the opportunity to interact with over 10,000 patients. However, for a plethora of reasons, he decided to walk away from his medical career. One of the main reasons for doing so was that he had a strong belief that there was a more effective way to help people.   As a result, his journey into the world of, what he calls, unorthodox psychology began, and he started interviewing experts that are living beyond the frame of Psychology but are masters of the mind in a unique way.   That led him to people like…  The top cold reader in the world who can convince anyone that he's psychic even though he isn't,  The top pickpocket in the UK who can elegantly step into anyone's comfort zone because of his mastery of space and attention,   The horse whisperer who can communicate with horses through eye contact and body language, and many, many, more.     He then entered the world of social media to share his message on Instagram, a platform of which he had no idea about. But after analyzing and deconstructing that platform while utilizing his knowledge of human behavior, he was able to quickly grow his page from 300 followers to over 200,000 followers in less than 13 months. He was recently interviewed by Joe Polish who’s the founder of Genius Network, the largest marketing mastermind group in the world.  What’s in the Interview?  My conversation with Sam covered a range of topics, with insights into how to be effective with Instagram at the core — that part of the interview is one that I recommend listening to several times while taking notes and mapping your own strategy. It will be worth it.  Here are a few of the insights Sam shared:    Commit to your message — nothing in more important that keeping your posts focused around the message you are seeking to share with people.    Don’t Rely on Recycling the Same Content — people who follow you want to see more from you, not the same old stuff, and if they don’t, they will stop following you.    Be Consistent — People love patterns and the secret to getting them engaged with you is to make it clear that you deliver new stuff consistently. It doesn’t have to be every day, but a pattern that is clear from your bio page will connect better than random sporadic posts.    Use Stories — Share the story of you and who you are in your Instagram stories. Share what you do in your posts.      Promote the Page, Not the Product — Your goal should be growing your base of followers so they know what you are about and who you are before you start promoting things to them.   As always, we closed our conversation with a book recommendation and Sam shared one of my favorites: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. I love the insight Sam shared from the book about seeking a ‘No’ instead of a ‘Yes’ when negotiating. His insight into why this is powerful was a highlight of the conversation.  You can learn more about Sam by following him on Instagram @Samqurashi — you’ll love the content he shares and so much more.  Thanks for joining me Sam.  Your Turn — Got a Question?   One of my favorite questions to ask is “How can I help you?” and one of my favorite ways to do that is by answering our questions. If you have one you would like me to address on the podcast, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Kevin McBroom — What are some creative ways you suggest to overcome self-limiting beliefs/imposter syndrome?  Jeanette Bronee — How do you gain clarity about why your message matter so you can craft the message?  Mike Brennan — What is the most effective way to determine interest of other surrounding initiative you are looking to launch?  Jason Smith —For business goals you set a financial milestone or customers served goal?  Bill McConnell — I'm taking a huge leap of faith into an online business concept I've never done before. My money up front. No guarantees on the backend. Exciting potential and value in the middle. What words of encouragement and direction would you give when it comes to getting my "marketing" message heard for this event?  Murtaza Versi — Why is it important to have a coach or mentor to help clarify self-imposed obstacles?  Paul Klein — In regards to income, how much financial runway in terms of months do you recommend when making a pivot or what I am calling going from "Client & Project" work and moving to "Content & Products" work?  Kevin Breeding — How do you decide when to invest in yourself by getting outside expert help? How do you know it's time versus when you are just buying another course to keep yourself busy instead of doing the hard work we like to avoid?  Tom Schwab — How can I accelerate or fast track results? I've heard stories of people who spend years speaking for free at Rotary, coffee clubs, and even the opening of an envelope before they ever get paid on stage.  John Hulen — (1) What are a few of the best ways to turn speeches/keynotes into performances? (2) What are some ways the server audiences before and after the performances? (3) What are some ways I can help other entrepreneurs who don't speak in front of audiences understand the need for and how to improve their speaking abilities?  Aime Miyamoto — Along the theme of integrating the brand dynamics of authority and relatability what would you recommend regarding an intentional approach to share the "realities of the bumpy and often experimental/unpredictable road of entrepreneurship" with your audience with authenticity and still embody the grounded and compelling presence of expertise and professional authority? This is a dance I've been struggling with.  Barbara Burns Churchill — I want to create a larger speaking presence this year and want to know the fastest way to do that. I don't have a book (yet) and you speaking as a business development tool to connect with leaders so I can help their organizations with my programs. Advice?  Thanks for listening to this unscripted Q&A.  Michael  P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body. 

One of my main objectives for the year ahead is to be more experimental — to stop overthinking and over complicating everything and take more chances.   That’s exactly what I did for my 100th episode.  Here’s how that worked.  I scheduled time to record the episode on a Wednesday after an aborted attempt at something that was way too complicated and had too many opportunities for failure that would impact others. [If it had only been me at risk I might have pushed through, but I hate wasting other people’s time, so I opted for the safe route and chose a different path.]  Early on Wednesday morning I posted on Facebook that I was recording my 100th episode @ 1 pm and invited people to submit questions that I could answer. Then I sent 10 direct messages to people who I knew might share a question and personally invited them to do so.  By noon I had 24 questions and was ready to record my responses at 1 pm.   Then I had another idea — why not broadcast the recording LIVE on Facebook. After all, that had been the initial plan.  So, I did.   It took me close to two hours to answer all of the questions and episode 100 and 101 were born as a two-part Unscripted Q&A. I hope you find value in these two shows and invite you to submit your questions so I can address them in future episodes here: info@michaelhudson.com Just put Question for Podcast in the subject line and insert your question in the body.  Here are the questions I responded to in this episode:   Jeff Meister — You've been working in this space for a while but you're not getting the traction you want or expect. You feel like you need to make a pivot. How do you do this without scrapping or losing everything you have done so far and one of the first five or so "essential steps" to take?  Matt Cubbler — What is the best and most proven way to drive listeners to find and then subscribe to your podcast?  Trivinia Barber — How do you prep for your shows? I just started my podcast and want to streamline my prep process!  Justin Schenck — (1) In the first 100 episodes what's the most rewarding part so far? (2) When building your speaking business what do you find potential bookers want to hear more of from the speakers they hire?  Mary Villoni — Working in the nonprofit industry I find that my clients struggle with telling their story on paper. Often times their mission gets clouded with big words about helping large populations of people that seem impractical. What advice would you give to help craft the charity message so it attracts more donors?  Doug Fitzgerald — How do you plan, prepare, and stay consistent in sharing your great value-added content on social media to get your message heard?  Antoine Dupont — (1) One of the biggest mistakes you see business owners make over and over again? (2) What are the three business books that should be given to any new business owner?  Ernie Lansford — What have been your greatest challenges you faced personally getting your message heard? How did you overcome them?  Kevin Monroe — Knowing what you know now, if you were starting fresh are working to upload for your business today, how would you prioritize your time and where would you focus your energy?  Colleen Dupont — How do you whittle down your message? Your authentic voice.  Terry Wood — What were the biggest challenges you faced in transitioning into full-time employment and stepping out of the traditional marketplace?  Jen Singer — How do you soldier through a speech when you're handling tough times behind the scenes?  Please join me next week for the responses to the remaining 12 questions.  Michael  P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Last week, as a lead up to the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard next week, Michael took a step back and to explore where we’ve been and where we’re going. In today’s “Part II” he reveals a bit more about the path forward (if you missed it, you might want to listen to  Episode 98 before diving into this one so you get the full context).     Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you’re having “Part II” of that one-on-one conversation with Michael that we started last week about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future.     Here are a few highlights:    Repel the Wrong Ones — Focusing your work on serving the people you are best suited to serve is the key to growing your business. Find the ones who fit by leveraging your strengths to deliver solutions to the specific problems they have that transform their lives. Then map your messaging to attract those people and that will help the ones who don’t fit recognize it which will save you time, effort, and energy!    You’ve Got to Silence the Voices — A big part of the journey in the early episodes of Get Your Message Heard was about silencing the voices that constantly strive to convince us of what we can’t do. They hold us back, make us overthink and hesitate to act, and generally get in the way every time we start to gain momentum.     So how do you silence them? Get clear on the “core framework” you use to solve the problems you solve for the people you serve. Recognize that what you find easy is often amazing to others and find ways to do more of what you do best. That will quiet the voices because you will be aligned and on purpose.    P.S. It might take some work to get clear and there will be some trial and error, some testing and learning, and some less than fulfilling moments. But taking regular action is the only path!    Choose a Definable Audience and Talk Directly to Them — Growing a business is not easy, particularly in the early stages. You start with an idea, you find a couple of clients and start delivering your products or services, then you begin to build a team that allows you to serve more of them. Then one day you realize you are operating at (more likely, beyond) your capacity. It’s time to scale the business.    At that point two things matter most: (1) defining the audience you are seeking to attract, and (2) crafting all of your messaging to attract them. This is where Michael’s sweet spot is: Helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and cause leaders who are ready to scale up map their messaging so they can speak their vision into existence.    The secret sauce boils down to 3 steps:    Making sure your messages are crafted so the audience will RELATE to it. Using their words, speaking to their problems, painting the picture of the transformation they want and need.    Committing to REPEAT those messages until you are almost tired of sharing them because the reality is that many aren’t listening or hearing what you want them to the first few times. When they start smiling, nodding, and finishing your sentences you’re getting close to having said it enough.    Enabling those who hear your messages to REPLAY them just like they do their favorite song. It may sound slightly different (like a live or in concert version), but the gist of the message is there. And that gives you leverage and makes scaling of your efforts possible!    Learn from Guests and Add Your Insights — Shifting Get Your Message Heard from a solo show to an interview show has changed things in many ways. One thing that listeners have shared with Michael is that they sometimes wish they heard more about how he sees the insights shared in the interviews.     That’s why one change that is coming is the inclusion of regular solo episodes where Michael will tie things together and call out the most valuable insights from the recent episodes. And if enough listeners share their questions there will be regular Q&A episodes.    P.S. If you have a question, please send it to info@MichaelHudson.com and it will be addressed on a future episode.    You Need Pathways for Clients & Customers — One thing that has become clearer than anything else during the life of Get Your Message Heard is the power and importance of having clear pathways for the people who want to engage with you. If, like Michael, you have a servant heart, it is difficult to say no to people who don’t fit or whom you just don’t have the capacity to serve.    In some cases, they aren’t ready for what you can deliver, and it would be a disservice to try and help that at the place where they are. In other cases, there is a mismatch of values and vision that needs to be acknowledged to maintain your integrity to the work you do. That’s why you need to know (before you are inundated) how you will handle the path of prospective clients and where you will lead them when they raise their hand to engage with you.    Listen in to learn more about these things and to identify the insights that will best serve you.

With the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard just around the corner, it’s time to take a step back and explore where we’ve been and where we’re going. In today’s episode Michael gets personal about the path he has been on since launching the podcast and sets the stage for sharing a bit about the path forward (tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more about that).    Before diving in to the content of the episode, Michael shared an opportunity that can help you get some personal visibility for your brand…here are the details:    A chance to join Michael for the Live Recording of Episode 100 — One of the most rewarding things that has happened since Get Your Message Heard was launched is the moments when listeners reach out to share an insight you’ve received from an episode of the podcast that helped them.     If you’re one of those people Michael wants to know what helped you and wants you to help him share it with others who might also benefit. All you have to do is complete this one-week challenge:    Share at least three insights you’ve gotten from episodes of Get Your Message Heard on at least two social media platforms between January 7th and January 14th to be entered into a drawing where 5 listeners will be invited to join Michael for the Facebook LIVE recording of Episode 100.     Be sure to do these three things:  Link to the episode’s blog post — each episode has a post that can be found at http://www.MichaelHudson.com/### (where ### is the episode number)  Tag Michael in the post — you can find Michael on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter @DrMichaelHudson  Use the hashtag #ChangeImpactAction to make it easy for the posts to be found.    What if you’re not a social media person? Then you can send an email to info@MichaelHudson.com and share your insights directly with Michael. But if you do use social media, please follow that path as the goal is to reveal the value of the podcast to others.    That’s all there is to it: Share 6 posts on social media following these steps and you’ll be entered. You can start anytime, but posts must be up by 5 pm on Monday, January 14th to be considered.    Oh, and block your calendar for 2 pm to 3:30 pm Eastern on January 15th so you will be available for the Facebook Live Broadcast (and please join me even if you aren’t one of the 5 selected)!    PS: The one person who ‘blows me away’ with their sharing of their insights will receive a complimentary 90-minute deep dive strategy call with me…Who will that be?    Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you’re having a one-on-one conversation with Michael about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future. Here are a few highlights:    Use 3 Words to Guide Your Year — Michael is a fan of Chris Brogan’s approach of choosing three words at the beginning of the year to set your mind on what you want to achieve. His 3 words for 2019 are #ChangeImpactAction    Acknowledge and Own Your Superpowers — Most of us spend too much time and energy trying to become better at things we don’t do well, instead of focusing on doing what we do well better. One of the lessons that’s emerged from doing 97 episodes of the podcast is the recognition that focusing on your strengths is the path to real impact.     That’s what enables you to get clear on the problem you are here to solve for the people you are meant to serve. If you’re unclear about what they are, consider using the Clifton Strengths Finder to identify your strengths and then start working every day to align your actions to live into those strengths!    You Need a Velvet Rope — We’ve all seen the velvet rope at movie premieres and nightclubs, even if only in the movies. The truth is you need a velvet rope in your business that makes it clear who you serve and who you don’t serve. It is the only path to clarity for you and the best way to increase your influence, impact, and income. Don’t make the mistake of trying to serve everyone because that is NOT why you are here. (You can learn a lot more about this concept by reading Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid.    The Journey Takes Time — Michael shares the story of his journey (that began in the fall of 2014) of refocusing his work from serving a single niche to doing the ‘great work’ he believes he was put on the planet to do. A key pivot point was encountering Michael Bungay Stanier’s book Do More Great Work and hearing the keynote about it at a conference where completion of a simple pie chart revealed what was missing in Michael’s work.    You’ve Got to Respect the Process — Truth be told it took much longer for the Get Your Message Heard podcast and Michael’s new work to get traction. One reason was that there were some things that needed to be sorted out personally before the change could full take hold. It also helped that after selling the niche business at the end of 2015 Michael continued working with a handful of clients and wound their projects down in 2016, 2017, and early 2018. That backstop of revenue bought some time to map the path forward, probably more than was required.    All of these things combine to explain why the path forward for Get Your Message Heard will continue to evolve in some important ways as Michael homes in on serving the people he can best help — tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more. 

Now out of the interviewer's chair and straight onto the guest seat; surely it is a delight to see a little twist isn't it? Michael Hudson has spent much time over 90+ podcast episodes interviewing some of the brightest minds on the planet, working as host of the "Get your message heard" podcast. He is a coach, speaker, idea-junkie, and creator of Vision Speaker™ system, a proven process to help leaders deliver dynamic presentations to communicate change. On his website, www.michaelhudson.com he share insights from working with over 2,500 businesses over the past 30 years, ranging from academia, finance, small business, and politics. But at the heart of it all, he is a teacher, coach, and "idea-junkie" that wants to help grow leaders do work that truly matters. Today, he will be interviewed by a close friend, Jody Maberry, a marketing consultant and podcaster who has pretty much been there from the beginning. Achieving a stability in podcasting  Michael Hudson is a slow learner, as he puts it. His podcasts have been on the air for close to 100 episodes, and his commitment to seeing the process through has been kept stable by a desire to observe protocols and try new things over time. Hudson believes that putting out his thoughts and ideas, speaking out loud each time – especially during his podcasts – has helped him understand perspectives to each view, separating what makes sense from what doesn't. “I’m a shiny object guy, I’m an idea guy, you know, there’s nothing that thrills me more than to get an idea and say ‘lemme go see if somebody else has done it, how can I learn’ and all of that stuff” Hudson says. The weekly commitment to his podcasts offered the chance to build a focusing process and be able to speak to people consequently influencing them. Core lessons learned from early podcast episodes Hudson has a teaching style that includes fixing up a few key points and expanding on those points throughout his lecture. It is no wonder that his fundamental belief, as he puts it, says "Your journey teaches you lessons that others need to know, and the reason you were brought to this planet is to share those lessons," The second point to that belief is that "if you don't figure out what those lessons meant, you could never share them effectively." And a lot of the first podcast episodes were centered on how he figured things out for himself. Hudson also learnt that it is never easy to know just who is listening in on your program, and who you are impacting per time and this inspires him to keep doing what he does. How he charged things up Hudson learned to stop being a stereotype in the kind of questions he asks during podcasts. Now, he focuses on making it a conversation. In his own words: "Let the conversation flow." Initially he would pick out at a bunch of questions – usually 9 or 10 – and ask them to the guests during the show, but down the line, he realized that it was all kind of boring when he did that. Right now, there are only two questions he will almost certainly ask; what the guests are grateful for in their business, and what book(s) they can recommend for the listeners out there.. Hudson also learned a big lesson on time; going higher than you think you can. He makes a dream list of guests to be invited on air. And despite initial fears on getting a rejection, he goes ahead and makes contact nonetheless. Framing the show to look like a show is also very important to Hudson. “Prepare your guests so that they know what to expect,” Hudson said, while speaking on ways to get your guest fully involved and making the podcast episode lively. He normally gives his guests a specific sheet that offers pointers on what the show will entail. “When the guests get that, they will pay attention and they will help you make that show a success.” Hudson said. Guests that really made a great show and challenged Hudson He recalls quite a lot of cases where he had guests come on his podcast show and then after a while realized that they had offered so much more insight than he had expected.' Refusing to mention any names, he recalled the excitement in interacting with certain guests who repeatedly showed that they ‘know their content' and are well driven on their chosen path. The future of “Get your message heard” podcast “What comes next is really trying to take the work to a new level” as Hudson puts it. He is focused on discovering clarity on his central theme and what his true message is. He confirmed that the future would all be about "Resonance, Repeating and Replay" for his podcast series. The upcoming three episodes will feature more explanation on these 3 concepts. His reasons for podcasting and advice for those who desire the path Hudson believes that being a podcaster provides clarity to you on your own thinking, and that there truly is nothing more valuable than that. He also believes that podcasting offers the chance to execute the ‘three Rs’; to resonate your ideas to your audience, then have a chance to repeat those ideas at any time, then of course your ideas get replayed by other people over time. It is quite obvious that Hudson places value on being known for a precise set of values that his work represents, something like a niche and not just running around discussing every topic or idea. Resources www.jodymaberry.com www.michaelhudson.com

Terry Weaver is a renowned speaker, author, event producer, podcaster, Ideapreneur.  His real passion is helping people “live life alive” and he does this by traveling around the world and speaking to audiences including young school students. He leads Mastermind Groups and hosts an annual event called “the thing” where creative minds, entrepreneurs and leaders interact and receive coaching. He is the author of the book “Making Elephants Fly” which is centered on his passion and work pretty much summarized in one piece. As one who has ventured into the music industry as an Artiste manager; he has had the opportunity to work with various talents and meet lots of creative personalities along the way.  Terry and his wife Leslie live outside Nashville, Tennessee. Terry’s passion and work Terry believes that he is a square peg in a round hole, one of the misfit types who can be revolutionary about the reactions they build up from their environment. He has the “one thing” idea which centers on focusing on the strengths of an individual. “There is a lot of people that really believe that you should be super focused on just doing one thing,” Terry emphasized, “I have had to learn to lean away from my weaknesses and lean in to my strengths, and some part of leaning into my strengths involves acknowledging what others might consider a weakness.” It is quite easy to deduct that Terry values a lively work atmosphere, one where his best abilities are honed and required more often. He considers himself a great starter, more than a ‘continuity-process’ type. Point of gratitude in Business As a great lover of creative work, and someone who has worked with Disney, Terry is grateful that anyone is even paying attention to his message, regardless of the medium used. “I always say that great coaches aren’t paid because they are highly successful, great coaches are paid because they failed a ton. And they can help you save yourself the time and energy from making some of those same mistakes that they made.” Terry said. Terry lives with an appreciation for the current age and time we exist in, with the level of opportunities available to professionals. About early beginnings and career growth In the 90s, Terry was a youth pastor. And over the years he grew in public speaking, having to speak at churches, colleges, and high schools. His passion grew with more engagement – he was also an Artiste manager, working with musicians – and basically, one thing always led to the other for him. At some point, Terry – his wife actually – realized that the music industry wasn’t going to be sustainable enough for his career. Hence, the focus on coaching grew. Now, Terry spends more time coaching, creating experiences, writing, and he’s part of a Disney podcast that takes a little chunk of his time weekly. Thought pattern Terry believes that focusing on what you can do, is a great way to keep winning and not get paralyzed mentally. He emphasizes this in his book “Making Elephants Fly.” He borrowed a quote from Bryan Dickson and put it thus; “What’s obvious to you is magic to others, to help someone else, you don’t have to be ten steps down the road, you just have to be one.” It is no surprise that Terry is quite huge on originality, as he prefers to be himself all the time when he is on stage, and he believes that authenticity will always have an audience. He confirms that using his own life experiences in his speeches, and even admitting that he is no expert on everything topic, has given him more of a bond with his audiences. Resources Podcast: Making Elephants Fly www.terryweaver.com

It is always inspiring to see a couple who share similar interests and use their passion to touch lives. Ann Sheybani and Walt Hampton, J.D are one such couple.  Ann Sheybani is the author of How to Eat the Elephant:  Build Your Book in Bite-Sized Steps. She received her Masters in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University.   She's an elite book coach with a sales and marketing bent and also helps successful entrepreneurs create powerful, expert-positioning books.  Her husband, Walt Hampton, J.D. Biography is the Executive Director of Summit Success, LLC, a global personal and professional development firm.  He is a business coach, law firm management consultant, leadership trainer & motivational speaker, also the founder of the Positive Leadership Academy. Walt is a leading authority on the application of Positive Psychology in the workplace. He is the best-selling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book in 2013, and a 2014 winner of the North American Book Awards. He is also the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun.  A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt practiced law in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation and criminal defense. He was the managing partner of a law firm for more than 25 years.  Walt's passions are high-altitude mountaineering, ultra-distance running, blue-water sailing & adventure photography. He and Ann Sheybani live in Castletownshend, Ireland and Collinsville, Connecticut. Business background It is quite interesting to know that a little while after Walt and Ann were married, more than a decade ago, the missus found a way to drag her husband to a Tony Robbins 3-day event: "unleash the power within" – and as Walt explains it; he didn't really want to be there. However, this was a game-changing event for the couple. They were both engaged in Tony's ‘mastery university,' and later on, Walt was invited by Tony's team to apply for the school of coach training.  Walt would go on to become one of 70 elite results coaches under Tony Robbins at the time, a role that afforded him the opportunity to use his analytical, problem solving and listening skills more frequently. "It was so much fun, and because I'm entrepreneurial, I thought well; if Tony can do it, I can do it [too]. So Ann I, now more than a decade ago, created Summit Success" Walt said rather enthusiastically The couple has worked side by side over the last decade, doing the work of consulting and coaching. What Ann & Walt are grateful for? "I think we are grateful for the opportunity to work with each other, that's a great gift," Walt said while treating the topic with so much emotion. Looking through the exploits of Ann and Walt, it is easy to detect that being able to reach out to individuals through their work is a thing of pride and fulfillment for the couple. "I think when we started, we had about two and a half people and I think they were relatives on our list, and now we have tens of thousands of people from all around the world, and it's a great gift to be able to touch so many lives," Walt said. Ann believes that creating a deep connection with people is vital in their line of business. She said “When we work with people, we get to know them at such a good level; it’s a very intimate relationship that we have with the folks that we work with. And I think it’s what’s missing in so many people’s lives,” Summing it up perfectly, Ann put it this way: "It's great to be paid for reading, but it's even better to get  really close to the people we work with." Defining the need for clarity in the message provided to the audience Ann believes in being known for something in your niche. Knowing who your target market is and what significant result your clients will get out of your work. She emphasizes that trying to cast your nets wide and speak to the general public, will cause a situation where almost no one identifies with your work, be it a book or any other kind of business. "The other thing is that there are a lot of folks who just want to sound smart, so they want to put all of their concepts all their big quotes in there, and they don't want to show that they have probably been there first class." She said. The renowned author is adamant that sharing stories about step by step processes to solving situations, especially stories from your own experience, go a long way in helping people. "To tell the truth about who you are in your business, in conversations, in a book, it is to make yourself free because you are no longer hiding, you are no longer waiting to be uncovered for who you really are" Ann said. Issues encountered during work Walt recalls not being fond of the technical problems that occur with the podcast sessions sometimes, naturally. And of course, you would expect that the couple gets to be on the road a lot while having to juggle a packed schedule. They enjoy this phase of the business but admit that it can be quite cumbersome. Managing a family and a business together Ann and Walt developed ways to work together and achieve the desire always to want to be in charge, over the years. "Walt and I are used to being in charge and taking the lead, so we had to learn how to balance – and how to dance" Ann recollects. It is quite interesting that the duo took tango lessons a few years ago, knowing that there has to be just one leader per time while they dance. They gradually developed systems to work as a team and plan everything down to the barest minimum. The couple seems to have developed mastery in creating time to have fun and relax – fun fact: they are both introverts. “For both of us, we can be three weeks, five weeks, six weeks on the road doing great events and then we’ve got to come back to our little Irish hillside where we get quiet” Walt said. Tips for effective in communication Walt believes that it "makes sense to slow down" when the stakes are high. Slowing the action down is a very important tool in his work, and it aids his message being put across to clients. Ann, however, speaking off of the experience she gathered during research on negotiations during high-stress situations, concluded that it is important to "feel comfortable" during high stakes communication. She reaches that this habit is learnable. Walt encourages speakers and writers always to define the journey they want to take their audiences through. He sees this as a sure way to keep engagement at a maximum. Resources annsheybani.com  

Have you ever wondered what it felt like to do a storytelling act, but this time in front of an audience filled with corporate? Well, here's a piece on someone who lives that. Melanie Deziel is the founder of StoryFuel, a consulting firm that teaches marketers around the world how to tell better brand stories.  She is an award-winning branded-content creator and sits on the board of the  Native  Advertising  Institute. Today we take a look at her life and perspective to her work. First, a few Achievements Melanie was the first editor of branded content at The  New York Times. She developed the first Master's course in Content Marketing for Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she now teaches as an adjunct professor and has degrees in investigative journalism and arts editing. In addition to her work with  The  New  York  Times'  T  Brand  Studio, Melanie was one of the founders of The Huffington  Post's Brand Storytelling team and is the former Director of Creative Strategy for Time Inc., worked on brand across all 35+ US  publications. Unlocking her Storytelling Instincts It might interest you to know that Melanie believes in tapping into the storytelling instinct and curiosity of kids while at work – bringing the power in that mindset into professional brand publishing. Her storytelling is always poised to captivate her given audience and have them hooked on the subject without misleading them in any way by her story. "I encourage people to think about three things – the acronym to help you remember is the ‘P.R.E.' this is your pre-strategy before creating the product." Melanie gave this response when quizzed about her tricks in helping people unlock the stories within them. She explained further; stating that The ‘P' represents the Product. Whatever the product or service is, you can create content around it. Then there's the ‘R' which represents the Role that marketers and publishers can play in the customer's life; what you can help them achieve, how their needs can be prioritized and met, what differences can you can make in their lives. The ‘E' is for Emotion. Melanie believes that everything we buy or engage within the world is an emotion and that products and services spark up a feeling in some way or the other. "There's something that that product or that purchase or that service is giving us on an emotional level, and when we could create stories that tap into the emotion, those are often some of the most powerful stories that we can tell" Melanie Said.. Fact and Fiction: Where she draws the Line Melanie makes an effort in her work to always present her views from a journalism-side of things. She focuses on ensuring that her storytelling is built to stay true to the critical needs of her audience. She believes in studying audiences and taking time to know what they would relate better to, as this can be a positive step towards achieving more significant progress with clients. The NetFlix Case Study She spoke fondly about her time as a staff in strategy development with the New York Times. The opportunity to offer marketing solutions to NetFlix regarding the TV show; Orange is the new black. The series boasts a true life story. "Orange is the New Black is based on a book; it's based on a true story. But we don't feel people know that. We feel that they think it's just a SitCom or these are made up satiations." Melanie recalls being told by Netflix She would go on (along with her team) to put together a long-form investigative report with a 3-part mini documentary and Info-graphics telling a story of what it is really like to be a woman in prison. "We interviewed current and former inmates of various women's prisons; we talked to prison reform workers, sociologists, activists, people who work inside the prisons, to tell that story: what is that experience like really?" Melanie said. This experience, while working with NetFlix inspired Melanie a lot and improved her drive to always want to have a storytelling pattern that pitches the crucial facts and figures to the public, even while mixing in a bit of entertainment or fiction. Speaking on Gratitude  As non-surprising as it sounds in Melanie's case, she owes a lot of gratitude to her husband whom she refers to as her number one fan.  And indeed she confirmed that a lot of the professionals and team members she has had the opportunity to work with have had a tremendous impact on her career. "It means so much to me, just to be surrounded by people who are sharing their talents and time with me and getting to share my talents and time with them. It absolutely means the world to me, and changes the way I look at my business." Melanie said. Her Journey to Public Speaking JJust like many renowned speakers, Melanie started in public speaking by first trying it out by accident, and then getting to like it. She had filled in for a colleague at an event, and gave an oral presentation at the time, and recalls feeling great after the event. "I loved that people came up afterward and said ‘this changed my opinion, this changed the way I'm going to do things' I feeling like I really have an impact," she said while defining how glad she had felt. "I looked for more opportunities to do that, to go out and represent and talk about the work that my team was doing, I also saw that it was the kind of thing that I enjoyed more than most of the other aspects of my job." Keeping up with her drive to do more public speaking, Melanie started her own consulting and speaking company three years ago – teaching marketers and brands how to tell stories. Admittedly it hasn't been an easy road – starting small and putting in a lot of work. Melanie recalls having had low, and no-paying gigs at her early startup. But her focus was never daunted.  She believes that loving her job and the fulfillment from helping the people she interacts with while on and off stage has been a massive boost in her confidence to keep going. Advice for Speakers "When you are stuck up on that stage, it is not about you. It is about the audience and the value you give them and the way you serve them best" Melanie said. She believes that one of the biggest errors a speaker can make is to be focused on themselves while going on stage – rather than on the audience. It would only be logical to agree with her mindset that it doesn't matter if a speaker makes a fool of his/herself as long as the right impact is passed on to the target audience.

How intriguing would it be to find out that the 'tallest voice' in the room is coming from the lady who's 4ft10inches or as she likes to put it: 4ft 10.5inches?  Meet Neen James.  She is a U.S acclaimed speaker and writer of Australian decent. Her books; ‘Folding Time™' and ‘Attention Pays™' are among the best sellers available at bookstores around the world.  Over the past two decades, Neen has been advising different companies in the world including Viacom, Comcast, Paramount Pictures, and even the FBI, on how to improve their strategic planning, communication, and leadership development.  When she is not speaking on stage, you might find her on the back of a Harley Davidson (yeah, the back is just for her!).  What to do to become a great speaker like Neen Neen says it all starts by having a single image on and off the stage because your audience isn’t only those in the room when you speak. It is about coming across as the same fantastic person on the street or at other informal engagements.  For Neen, being a great speaker is not so much about what you say on stage but who you are on and off the stage.  “It’s not just about putting your most fabulous suit on and going on stage; it’s about all the interactions you have with your clients and your audience,” Neen says. And oh, she says it doesn’t matter whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, you can do what she does.  “My belief is that introverts and extroverts can do what I do.”  She says while extroverts recover with people, introverts recover alone and regardless can become great speakers. Indeed Neen should know. She’s been researching communication strategies. Neen says “What I’ve learned in my attention research is that there are so many different ways to pay attention and we have to be able to appeal to multiple ways.” Early Career Lessons When Neen started speaking, she had a mentor in Matt Church. He later became her business partner and friend. Watching him as an aspiring speaker helped immensely in her development. “The things we talk about need to be memorable, repeatable and retweetable,” she says. Neen recalls trying to get Matt Church to mentor her for about six months, during which time he regularly told her that she wasn’t ready. “He helped me think differently, and also helped me understand the good, the bad and sometimes ugly days of the profession that I was choosing,” Neen says. Thoughts on Leadership You could be quite surprised that Neen doesn’t think there’s so much to being a leader. In fact she believes that leadership is rather intuitive.  “Leadership is sometimes whatever drives you crazy in the world, it is also a good indicator of what you call leadership,” Neen reflects. “When you reflect on the things that make you crazy in the world or you reflect on the lessons you’ve been learning over and over again, it may point you to your view of leadership.” Idea Shaping Neen has a habit of pulling out members of the audience and instantly helping them arrive at quick realizations about themselves. She calls this Idea shaping. “Idea shaping is the ability to articulate your ideas, your intellectual property in a visual model” Neen says. More information on this concept is detailed on her website www.neenjames.com.  Neen is so brilliant that while you speak to her about what you plan to do, she just naturally acts out a bit of idea shaping on those plans. Time and again she has amazed her audiences using this concept.   Resources Neen James can be found on all social media pretty easy, by her names only. Her website is www.neenjames.com 

Joana Galvao is a design guru and co-founder of Gif Design Studios. Based in Porto, Portugal, and with a team of 10 designers and developers – which includes her husband – her design agency has done pretty awesomely. Starting as a designer at an agency in London, and earning a rather basic salary, Joana could barely make ends meet. She sought out means of having extra jobs as a designer – on the side – and that move landed her the first big opportunity to bag more clients through a Facebook group. Today, Joana runs an award-winning agency specializing in brand identities and conversion-obsessed design, at the tender age of 27. Early Kick-off, Challenges, and Breakthrough Joanna founded Gif Design Studios at age 22. She had only become independent and started dealing with freelance clients three months prior. She started hiring immediately, building up a team of 4 – consisting of two other designers. Things didn’t work out initially as the staff quit working at the agency no sooner than they had started working. And then, they consequently poached the agency’s clients. Joana states that those events almost made her want to quit, but with support and advice from her husband, things got more stable over time. The Team – Growth over time “I think building my team has been a challenge, but in a good way. Being a leader is challenging, figuring out how to lead without micro-managing was the big thing that I had to learn because I like to think that I am kind of a control freak and so letting that go is always tough.” Joana admitted when quizzed on the biggest challenge in getting this far. Gif Design Studios is five years old as an agency and offers the full range of print and digital design services to industry leaders in seventeen countries on five continents. Joana also speaks internationally on the power of design and creativity and her work has been featured in the Guardian UK, Brand Brilliance, and Digital Arts magazine.  Business Strengths Joana has ensured that the design studio focuses on being profitable as an agency. She looks after her team by creating a healthy work environment.  “I wish more people were chasing and focusing on profit instead of revenue,” Joana argued. “I mean, what is it worth to us if we have a 7-figure business and 7-figure expenses?” Earlier Aspirations You’d think that Joana had always fancied the life of being a designer. But as a child, she loved to write and aspired to become a writer.  When she started moving countries and began to learn English, speaking less Portuguese which she was initially more fluent in, she had to stop writing as she was no longer comfortably fluent in either language at some point. Then she delved into designs, recognizing the universal nature of its expression. It gave her a chance to share her experiences, ideas, and thoughts just like writing had offered her. Public Speaking and Motivational Engagements Joanna has been able to do what she loves – sharing messages and posts about her life’s experiences and ideologies with scores of followers on her social media and through speaking engagements. She was invited by a client to speak on design to an audience of about 400 people in Austin, Texas. She delivered a speech to the best of her ability on that day, and much later something struck her through a statistic. Running through the revenue of her agency for that year, Joana realized that 50% of the income had come from people who had heard her speak at that particular event. This was a turning point moment in her speaking career, as she acknowledges the immense potential in talking more and the direct benefits to her business. Later on, Joana was one of 5 candidates invited to speak in a competition organized by Giovanni, the founder of the Arc-Angel Summit. She talked on creativity in front of an audience of 3,000 people. After sharing the video of her speech on Instagram, she got asked to give a 30-minute keynote on creativity to 300 designers, in Porto. Joana has recalled fond memories of her speaking engagements as she gets to do what she loves.     Philosophy for Branding Joana says “for me, there are three V’s to branding, my version of branding, that is; Vision, Voice, and Visuals.” She believes that vision covers the actions that you take and the idea behind what you want to do. A voice is what you say and the message you convey through your work, and then there’s visual adding to it. She believes that all three elements must align perfectly in anything being put out. Consistency “To be consistent, you need to be clear on what your brand is, what it does, what it says, and how it looks like,” Joana said when asked about her consistency drive. “Without that clarity, it’s impossible to keep being consistent.” Favorite Book Joana’s favorite books to recommend for anyone looking to uncover the artist within or uncover their creativity more, include: “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, it's nicely structured into an 8-week program with some exercises for the reader to partake.  Then there’s the second book, one which Joana recommends for anyone looking to tap into the power of their brain; titled “Head Strong” by Dave Asprey. The book talks about how to use the power of food, exercise and other things to unleash your potentials, be energetic and do so much more. Resources You can follow Joana on Instagram via @joanagalvaodesign or on her website at www.joanagalvao.com. Her agency website is www.gifdesignstudios.com.

Carissa Hill is a natural born entrepreneur who had her first successful business at the age of 21. Within 4 years, Carissa turned a home spray tanning business into a chain of 3 beauty salons with 9 staff and had her own range of wholesale hair extensions and mobile services around Brisbane Australia -- all without working in the business and exclusively focusing on growing it with Facebook marketing.  Since 2014, Carissa has been helping thousands of entrepreneurs to master the art of successful Facebook marketing. She runs a successful Facebook group of over 16,000 members called "Coffee With Carissa" and is the founder of the Wolfpack Mastermind.  Her current mission is to increase the percentage of female millionaires, after discovering that only 2% of female-owned businesses ever make it to 7 figures.  Carissa is the bestselling author of the book "I Like Money - The Secrets To Actually Making Money With Facebook" and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Inc, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, NBC tv, and Funnel Hackers Radio.  She lives on top of Tamborine Mountain (and even owns her own rainforest) in the Gold Coast Hinterland, Australia with her husband Travis, her son Jayden, her toy Pomeranian, Pebbles and her black cat, Pepper.  Today, I’m really excited to have her sit down with us and share some of the secrets to how she’s managed to grow her business in this really impressive amount of time.   Born Entrepreneur  “Being a business owner is a part of who I am,” Carissa says. In fact, she has always joked that she was a born entrepreneur who has been starting side hustles since she was in the womb.   She may have started her first successful business at the age of 21, but she said she has been selling all sorts of things as far back as she can remember. She eventually fell out of love with that business and subsequently developed an interest in consulting instead.   She then started her coaching business at the age of 28 and has since managed to grow it into a business that generates income in the seven-figure range -- all from the comforts of her home.   The Path That Led to It  Contrary to the stories of many successful entrepreneurs who managed to build their businesses through a mix of business acumen and sheer hard work, Carissa sheepishly admits that she owes part of her success to her laziness.   Being the creative type who is always bursting with new ideas, Carissa said she has a tendency to either be really engrossed in or distracted from managing her business, so she hired someone who can bring more consistency to it.   She then realized that the business thrived with the person she hired doing most of the legwork and her focusing on marketing the business on Facebook. She figured she could turn this into another business venture, and so she did.  Venturing Into Coaching  Looking back at it, Carissa said that venturing into coaching was “a natural kind of evolution” for her. She’s always been better at hatching ideas, building systems, and delegating tasks than implementing them, so that she later found herself treading this path came as no surprise.   She initially started with making Youtube tutorials, sending out newsletters, and doing FaceBook Q&A’s (which she all did for free for a while) before eventually transitioning into full-on coaching.   Now, her Facebook group, “Coffee with Carissa,” has over 16,000 members and contributes the bulk of her income.   Expressing Gratitude  Carissa said that she believes that you attract the things that you’re grateful for, so she “always remind myself to stay grateful for my team and clients because without them I won’t have a business.”  Tips for Other Entrepreneurs   If anything can be learned from Carissa’s experiences in growing her business, it’s to always trust your instincts, take time to listen to other people, and always have systems in place.   She says don’t let your fears get the best of you. Prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario but always hope for the best.   She also cautions people not to start a business with the pure intention to sell. Think of how you can provide real value to your customers instead and the earnings will naturally follow.   It would also help to have a clear plan of where you want to take your business and how you want things done before you start thinking of expanding.   Carissa says that there are many digital tools that can help you with just about anything from managing your schedule, to developing system manuals, and marketing your business through every platform imaginable, so make full use of them.  Favorite Book  Carissa credits Bob Burg’s “The Go-giver” for changing her perspectives on online businesses and, therefore, greatly recommends it.   She’s also a big believer of following random interests wherever they might lead her, so she’s now currently reading books on palm reading.   Resources  If you want to know how to double your business and set it up to run without you, Carissa encourages you to take advantage of her free Wolfpack Mastermind training by going to her website, http://www.wolfpackmastermind.com/.    She also gives away free eBooks, videos, and training on her personal website, https://carissahill.com.au/, so make sure you check it out.   Additional Resource   I promised Carissa that I will be sending her the title of this book that I really loved but can’t remember the title of during our conversation, but I want you to be able to check it out as well, so do try to add “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row” by Anthony Ray Hinton on your reading list. Highly-recommended, including by Oprah herself.

Jody Maberry is a former park ranger who uses the park ranger gifts of storytelling and interpretation to help people collect the right stories and experiences to give clarity to their message.   He is the host of 7 podcasts including The Jody Mabery Show and Creating Disney Magic, a popular radio show that offers lessons in leadership, management, and customer service.  Join me today as we get to know more about him and how he creates everyday magic in the things he does. Describing What He Does  If you asked Jody what he does, you’d probably have to wait for a few seconds for an answer because he says it’s one of the things that he’s always had trouble explaining off the top of his head -- mostly because he’s done so many things that couldn’t probably be any different from one another. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]He started as a Financial Analyst for a bank before becoming a Park Ranger. He then  transitioned to a Marketing Consultant before eventually dabbing into podcasting.  Using Podcasting as a Business Tool  “People know me through podcasting, but I view podcasting as just a tool to get some of that other stuff out of people,” Jody says.   And it can be quite an effective one at that.   As a matter of fact, he’s been able to use podcasting to pull out knowledge and experiences that clients used to have trouble articulating into words and turn them into something more concrete -- something that would allow them to have a clearer understanding of the message that they want to send out to their own customers.   The Magic Formula  The title of the podcast that Jody co-hosts with his partner, Lee Cockerell, may be “Creating Disney Magic,” but Jody says that there’s no magic formula when it comes to success. Instead, you need to constantly adapt to find out what works for you and what does not -- and that’s where the magic lies.  When you seek out opportunities to learn and grow, you get to meet all these wonderful people and live all these wonderful experiences that you might not have been able to do so otherwise.  Teachable Moments  Jody believes in seeking out opportunities to learn and grow, but he also acknowledges that there are times when some of the best lessons in life come when you least expect them.   He then shares how he once had a hard time deciding whether he should raise his fees or not, just to find out that Lee Cockerell (who wasn’t his partner at that time yet) has recently increased his fees -- convincing him to finally raise his own.   It may not have been intentional on Lee’s part, but it gave him the push he needed -- and exactly when he needed it the most.  Word of Advice to Other Entrepreneurs  Jody acknowledges that podcasting is not always the best solution for everyone, but if you’re just starting out your business, he definitely recommends that you give it a try.   “Start podcasting even if no one listens. As you start to speak out what you believe, it actually starts to form it. If you take what’s in your head and you say it out loud, it gives it shape, it gives it meaning that starts to stick,” Jody says.    Resources  If you want to know more about Jody Maberry, you can touch base with him through his personal website, www.jodymaberry.com. You might also want to check out and subscribe to his podcast channel at https://jodymaberry.com/podcastmagic/ to learn what you need to do to launch your own podcast channel in 2018.

It would be safe to say that Aaron Walker is a veteran entrepreneur. Having started over a dozen businesses during his four-decade journey has been pretty awesome.   Beginning at 18 years old and selling to a Fortune 500 company just nine years later set Aaron on an adventure of a lifetime. The secret sauce for Aaron can clearly be identified with these four attributes: grit, authenticity, determination and perseverance -- and the glue that holds it all together is his weekly involvement in Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups.   Aaron started masterminding 20 years ago with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller and several other notable Nashvillians.   Today, he spends time with his wife, two daughters and five grandchildren.   Coming In and Out of Retirement  Aaron has had the opportunity to do something that many people has not been able to -- to retire and come out of retirement for a staggering eight times.   He’s been working since he was thirteen so he kept telling himself that he’d retire after just one last venture -- although we all know how that went.  It was during one of those retirement attempts that Dave Miller told him something that he’d never forget that eventually changed the course of his life.  Starting a New Chapter  When Dave Miller found out about his nth retirement option, he called it “a selfish move.” He said that the world needs mentors, and by retiring a “final time,” Aaron is keeping other people from benefiting from the wealth of knowledge and experiences he has accumulated over the years.   Dave then invited him to do “Innovate” (a coaching program) and handle its Entree Leadership Mastery course. He initially thought it was not a bad deal considering how it was easily worth $10,000 at that time, but, surprisingly, he enjoyed the gig a lot more than he thought he would, and attendees of the event even called him later to ask him to mentor them.  Dave encouraged him to give it a go, he did, and the rest is history.  Living a Life of Significance  You’d think someone who’s had a very colorful business career as Aaron has wouldn’t have any room for doubts, but when the idea of writing what would eventually be his book, View from the Top: Living a Life of Significance, was pitched to him, he didn’t really want to do it because he thought that no one’s going to read it.  However, Ken Davis, author of ‘Fully Alive,” changed his mind by telling him that he’s writing for the wrong reason. That even if only one person’s life changed for the better because of his book, then it’s definitely worth it.  Working for the Greater Good  “Do for a few what you wish you could do for everybody,” so says one of Aaron’s favorite quote, and he does try to live by this tenet as much as he can -- applying it not only on his personal life, but on his business as well. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]“People think we need to do multiple things to be successful, but we just need to narrow our focus.” Look at the greater good and find ways to make the most impact on the most number of people possible.   Maintaining Razor-sharp Focus  Aaron says that “If you’re really going to be successful, you need to have extreme focus.”   The problem is people tend to put too much focus on the goal instead of focusing on the task at hand -- leaving them even more distracted than ever.  To avoid this trap, Aaron recommends taking things one step at a time. Set your priorities, plan your course of action, then implement. If you keep working on each task with the same razor-sharp focus that you use on the others, you’ll exceed the goals you’ve set before you even realized.  Dealing with High-Stake Situations  Of course, this is something that can sometimes be easier said than done, especially in situations where important things are at stake; however, no matter what the problem is, Aaron says that communication is always key, and to do that, you need to develop a level of empathy.   “People only remember you for how you made them feel.” Every conversation has something of value to add, so take time to listen to what other people have to say.   Expressing Gratitude  Aaron can say this because he’s a living example of how much you can learn from other people regardless of whether you’re actively trying to do so or not. Because of this, he’s been able to look forward to each and every day because of its potential to change someone’s life -- and for that, he’ll always be grateful.  Favorite Book  Like many others in the expertise space, Aaron highly recommends “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. He explains this is because it teaches people how to genuinely care about others and it should be required reading for everyone  Resources  Aaron is one of the driving forces behind the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind Group and you can join it by visiting https://ironsharpensironmastermind.com/. He also runs a personal website, https://www.viewfromthetop.com/, which you can visit to listen to his podcasts, read his blog, or drop him a note.

Anyone who has ran a business knows how important business referrals can be -- so much that some are willing to spend a good amount of advertising dollars in order to increase their number. After all, how else would you get those referrals coming in, right?   Matt Ward says, “Wrong.”  Matt is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and a podcast host of the popular small business podcast Square Peg Round Hole! He’s also a 40 Under 40 Recipient and Chamber Small Business Owner of the Year.  He is the founder of Breakthrough Champion and author of “MORE…Word of Mouth Referrals, Lifelong Customers & Raving Fans” which was released in September 2018 and was a #1 New Release.   He initially started a website agency called in Concert Web Solutions which he eventually sold in 2018 so that he could focus on helping businesses get more word-of-mouth referrals through his public speaking platform.  Matt believes that the problem with small business is bananas, and, today, he’ll tell us why.   Goin’ Bananas  If the first thing that popped into your mind when you heard Matt’s core belief is the image of a monkey, then you are not alone.  Matt, however, is quick to explain that his belief has nothing to do with primates and the yellow fruit, but with people who go to events and hand out business cards without engaging people in meaningful conversations first -- something that he likens to dumping bananas on people without considering whether they’d like them or not.  Changing Tactics  Matt admits that early in his career, he was probably one of those people handing bananas as well, but after reading Keith Ferrazzi’s “Never Eat Alone,” he grew to understand relationships better.   He also learned how you can build mutually beneficial ones simply by engaging them in a conversation and truly caring about what they have to say.   How to Get Word-of-Mouth Referrals  Matt shares that about 90% of his business now relies on word-of-mouth referrals alone, and he said he managed to do this by educating people.  “You have to arm people with the knowledge of what it is you’re looking for and what you’re all about.”   He said a lot of people get lost in targeting the right market that they neglect to figure out the message that they want to send. “You need to know your topic first; your target second,” he explains.  Grateful to be Living the Dream  Matt said like everyone, he had his dreams when he was younger, but like a lot of people, he thought they were just that -- dreams.   After all, he’s the first in his family to graduate and the first one not to go into prison, but he met someone who encouraged him to start his own business, he decided to give it a try, made some big changes in his life, and now he’s here.  Building Relationships with People  Matt said he owes it all to the relationships he built, which, he said, all started from caring.  “When you care about others, they care about you, and referrals are a by-product of caring,” Matt explained.  That said, he reminds people not to give just for the sake of getting something in return. Even if people don’t refer you, he said that it builds a habit of helping other people, and you’ll never know how it’s going to impact their life, and, maybe in the future, yours as well.  One Step at a Time  “You can’t care about 200 people at once.” Matt knows this too well so he advises people to take things one step at a time. He says you can start by staying in touch then paying attention to what they say. After that, always try to find ways to provide value to the people you meet.  “One of the core tenets behind getting word-of-mouth referrals is surprise.” The goal of advertising is to always be at the top of the mind of your prospects, and this is one good way of leaving a strong impression on them.   Favorite Book  Matt identifies Keith’s Ferrazi’s “Never Eat Alone” as his favorite book. In fact, he has multiple copies in his bookshelf that he ships out to other people every now and then.  Resources  If you want to learn more about Matt Ward or book his services for an event, you can get in touch with him through his website or LinkedIn account. He also has a FaceBook group that you can join to get free tips on how to get more referrals by word of mouth.

Ford Saeks has redefined the formula for business success. His efforts have helped companies generate a total of over a billion dollars in sales worldwide. From start-ups to Fortune 500’s, Saeks is widely recognized as a Business Growth Innovator.    With over 20 years’ experience (ranging from retail to wholesale), he has founded over ten companies, authored four books, awarded three U.S. patents, and received numerous industry awards thanks to the tenacity and innovation which fuels this revenue-generating powerhouse.    From grassroots to Google, Ford provides his clients with fresh perspectives and doable tactics to resolve branding, marketing, operations, and growth challenges.   As President and CEO of Prime Concepts Group, Inc., an integrated marketing services firm, Ford specializes in helping businesses attract loyal and repeat customers, monetize social media, and ignite innovation.   The Formula for Success  Ford has had a very long and colorful career, but regardless of what endeavors he ventured into, there was one formula that he has always relied on: Message + market + method.   If things are working, he explains that it means that you have the right combination for all three figured out, but if not, it means that there’s a mismatch somewhere and you need to reassess your strategy to get things back on the right track.  Leaving Your Digital Footprint  In this time and age where there are lots of free tools that you can use to market your brand, it’s a sin not to take advantage of them, and one way to do that is to use them to build a digital footprint that will lead potential customers to your brand regardless of where and how they found you.  Fishing Where the Fish Are  There are way too many tools that you can use to build a digital footprint that you can’t possibly use everything at once, so Ford suggests that you pick one or two to focus on based on where your target customers usually spend the most time on.   This is going to vary per business, but most of them would use at least one or a combination of these three: social media websites, review aggregator websites, and industry association websites.  Don’t Get Hung Up on the Numbers  All three websites can help bring an influx of traffic to your own, personal site; however, Ford cautions listeners not to get hung up on the numbers because it’s not the quantity that matters but the quality.   Numbers can help in building social proof, but what you really need to focus on is building relationships -- of finding a way to provide value to your customers so they will consume or utilize your brand.  Providing Value to Customers  There’s no shortage of information on the internet that sometimes the best way to provide value to your customers is simply by helping them convert those massive amounts of data into easily digestible sets of information that they can use to make informed decisions.   “It’s not what we know that counts. It’s what we do,” Ford emphasizes. By steering customers or potential customers to a particular course of action, you can position yourself as the authority figure in your field of expertise.  Putting Action at the Center of it All  Taking action is a big part of Ford’s core philosophies in life, and its roots can be traced back to when he was fifteen and locked up in prison with adult prisoners.  Someone gave him a cassette tape of Denis Waitley’s Psychology of Winning, and while it discussed a lot of things, all that he remembered hearing from it was, if he didn’t turn his life around, he would probably die before he turned 25.  Ford credits this as the defining moment that changed his life, and within 30 days of listening to it, he created his first company and generated 35 thousand in sales on his first year, which would be equivalent to roughly 300 thousand in today’s money.  And it all happened because he decided to take action.  Giving Back  Ford would always be grateful that despite his rough start, he was given the opportunity to start again. Because of this, he likes to use his experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams despite setbacks or what other people may say.  “We all have our stories… You can either produce results or you can make excuses. You can’t do both,” he says.   People don’t take action because of fear. Fear of causing conflict, fear of making a change, and fear of failing, and it’s something that even the best speakers often have trouble breaking through.   That said, Ford believes that people just need to take a step back and revisit their lives.   “People make mistakes all the time. You just have to move forward, take action, live the best you can.”  Favorite Book to Recommend  Ford has several books that he loves to recommend, his own, Superpower, being one of the first ones. There’s also Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount, 10X Your Business, 10X Your Income and 10X Your Life by Grant Cardone, Mel Robbins’ The 5-Second Rule, and Darren Hardy’s The Compound Effect.  “It’s not so much the book title, but what you want to learn,” he adds. He, therefore, recommends that you build your own personal success library based on the things that you are passionate about.  Resources  If you want to connect with Ford, he says that the best way to do so is by adding him on LinkedIn. You can also find more information about him and the services that he offers on their company website, www.primeconcepts.com.  Free Coaching Session  To honor Ford Saek’s generosity in sharing his precious time and valuable experiences with us, I am offering a free 30-minute free coaching session for your business to encourage you to take action the way he did. Just hit me up with a private message at any of my social media accounts which you will find here.

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx and MoMonday’s Speaker, the host of the top-rated ‘Conversations with PASSION’ Radio Show, and a columnist with Entrepreneur Magazine, Progress Magazine. He has over 900 articles in print – has appeared on Global TV, CTV, CBC TV and Radio, and has been one of the few leaders featured twice on the popular Entrepreneur on Fire show.  Corey has interviewed over 4,000 of the world’s top leaders in search of the traits that set them apart and he has enjoyed successful corporate careers with Global 1000 company Konica Minolta, Fortune 500 Companies Toshiba Corp., and Hewlett Packard and SAP Software.  He’s also a stand-up comedian who performed on more than 700 occasions, co-hosted a comedy radio show for a year, and had his 2014 album nominated as Rock Recording of the Year.  Self-introduction  Corey has been so many things that a detailed introduction of him would probably require several pages of paper, but if you’d ask him how he likes to introduce himself, he’d tell you that he likes talking about how he was raised by a single mother and how this experience helped shape him into the man that he is now.  Search for Validation  Corey explains that this unusual way of introducing himself is probably rooted in how he used to imagine how his mom must have felt about parenting -- of how much of a thankless job it can be -- so he wanted her to get the credit that she rightfully deserves.   In a way, this was also reflective of his own desire to gain recognition for his work, not only in his early career in stand-up comedy, and later on, public speaking, but also in one of his biggest passions -- music.  Not All Fun and Games  Corey had his career start in stand-up comedy, but contrary to what people usually associate with it, it was not all fun and games. In fact, it was a total disaster.   “Going into standup was terrifying, and I bombed over and over… First two years, I didn’t have five minutes that work,” he shared.   There were some other challenges as well -- mainly, standup comedy doesn’t really pay well -- and there’s also having to deal with drunks and the heckling that comes with them a lot of times.  Going Into Public Speaking  Transitioning from standup comedy into public speaking wasn’t easy either. It took him nine, long years before he finally made the switch after being inspired by watching Tony Robbins live, and he readily admits that, “I’m almost as terrible there too… People see us now and think, ‘Oh, you must be comfortable at speaking, natural at speaking, but they didn’t see all the time it took to get there.’”  Lucky Break  The same time that Corey was doing his rounds at comedy circuits and making early attempts to break into the public speaking business, he was also doing sales, and it was this that gave him his first lucky break.  He shares how he used to teach sales at a local college and how one of its clients called them up to request that instead of sending over forty of their staff to the campus for a sales course, they send over Corey to their office instead.  The college agreed and the rest was history. It wasn’t his biggest break by far, but it definitely set the tone of his career.  More Challenges Ahead  Some people think that once you break into public speaking, you’ve basically got it made, but Corey is quick to explain that ”Getting on stage is one thing. Getting paid is another.”  People go to your talks not to hear you speak, but to know what value your talk can provide to them. “A speaking gig is useless if you don’t have a message,” Corey reiterates. That, in itself, is a challenge, and it took him many years and constant adjustments to figure out what that message is going to be.  Teachable Moments  Corey may have had to overcome many challenges, but he also received a lot of support from the people around him, and two of them taught him incredibly valuable lessons that he still applies to his everyday life.  One is his grandfather who taught him that “no matter how passionate you are about something, there’s always something you won’t like, but treat it like you like it.”  The other is a senior who helped him when he was just starting out even when doing so is not going to do him any favors, which taught him the value of integrity and giving back.  What He’s Grateful For  Corey has many things to be grateful for, but more than anything, he’s grateful that he can serve and impact other people, and that he can make a living out of it.   He’s also grateful that he has an incredible support network that understands him and helps him with his work including his beloved girlfriend.  Favorite Book to Recommend  Recommending a specific book is incredibly hard, but if Corey would be allowed to recommend a few, he’d recommend Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, Darren Hardy’s The Compound Effect, and Carmine Gallo’s The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.  Resources    If you want to know more about Corey Poirier, read his articles, listen to his podcast interviews, watch videos of his speeches, or connect with him online, just head over to www.thatspeakerguy.com or go to www.thattedxprogram.com if you want to get his training course on securing a TEDx live.

Chris  Widener has been named one of the top 50 speakers in the world and one of Inc Magazine's top 100 speakers. He is the author of 20 books that have sold 3 million copies in 13 languages. He's a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His book, The Art of Influence, has taken him all over the world speaking to groups as large as 25,000 people, teaching them how to gain trust, respect, admiration, and loyalty.  Today, he’s going to have a chat with us not only to share how he managed to clinch these spots, he’s also here to tell us the obstacles that he had to overcome to get his speaking business off the ground, the mistakes he made along the way, the people who helped him get back on the right track, and the lessons that he learned.  No Cinderella Story  Chris Widener minces no words when describing his childhood, saying “I had a really rotten upbringing.”   He grew up in a single parent household, switched schools 11 times in a span of 28 months, started using drugs during sixth grade, and earned money from selling marijuana and gambling at the horse races. It wasn’t until he felt that his life was going nowhere that he decided that he needed to make changes.  The Transition  Compared to many public speakers who started their public speaking careers late in their lives, Chris Widener had a relatively early start, and he owes a part of it to his earlier struggles in life.  He started doing the rounds at summer camps, speaking in front of junior high school, high school, and college students before eventually transitioning to speaking in front of adult audiences.  However,  like many transitions, things didn’t always go smoothly.   Facepalm Moments  Chris shares one unfortunate but funny incident back when he used to publish an e-zine to help him promote his public speaking business. He built a fax journal and used it to send his newsletters to his subscribers. When he moved to Seattle, he learned about the possible benefits of email and decided to make the switch -- but there was a problem.   “Everybody in Seattle had an email address, but nobody anywhere else had an email  address, and I lost like 90% of my subscribers overnight by switching to email,” he recalls while laughing out loud.  Ghostwriting Career  Many people now know Chris Widener as a bestselling author, but probably few know that he used to ghostwrite for other people, including the popular John Maxwell, himself. In fact, it’s through this gig that he met one of the people who has been instrumental in the growth of his public speaking business -- John Rohn.  “People say, ‘how do I build a speaking career,’ and I said, ‘Well, first of all, work with Jim Rohn then work with Zig Ziglar,” he jokes.  Serious Lessons Learned  Jokes aside, Chris Widener credits Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar as very influential figures in his public speaking career not only because they used to refer clients that they can no longer accommodate to him when he was just starting out, but also because the way they worked and interacted with people taught him to stop measuring himself against others and focus on the things that he can do as an individual and how he can impact other people instead.  Positioning Yourself  Most courses about public speaking focus on a specialization or two -- usually marketing -- but for Chris, one of the first things that you should learn if you intend to enter the business is positioning yourself.   He tells people not to be intimidated by the big names. Instead find a gap that you can fill, and become an expert at it.  As an example, he shared how he started as a motivational speaker then moved on to becoming a leadership speaker, then a speaker on influence, before finally focusing on character-based influence.  Resources It took Chris years to find his niche, and he knows exactly how time-consuming it can be. Because of this, he developed a much shorter one-year program that can help aspiring public speakers learn the A-Z of public speaking from positioning, branding, and building a social media following, to website building and podcasting.  If you’d like to join in on the action, just head over to the Facebook group Speak for Money and send Chris a private message or you can also send him an email at chris@chriswidener.com or widenergroup@gmail.com ask for info.   Additional information about him and the services that he offers can also be found on his website.