Path to Simple

How Automation Can Help Scale your Business (And How it Can’t…)  Welcome back for episode 34 of the Think Digital podcast. On this podcast we talk to Greg Hickman, digital marketing consultant and founder/CEO of System.ly. Greg’s clients use automation to transform their grueling 15-hour days into manageable 5-hour days--all while adding revenue--thanks to the processes he helps them to put in place. He teaches entrepreneurs to build scalable businesses where the work that’s left for them to do is the work they actually like! But, with all due respect to REM, going automatic isn’t for all of the people.  Greg walks us through why clients need to put in the time doing a task manually before he’ll help them to decide if, and how, to automate.  In this episode, Greg also talks about why every single business that he has helped get past the one-million mark--and those that were already there when he started working with them--offers their clients only one to two products. He shares some of his behind-the-scenes findings from big-time online outfits, including the commonalities in those that actually have it all together inside their operation. Those entrepreneurs whose businesses turned out to be big old messes behind the scenes? Greg shares what he found that they all have in common, as well.  If you’re a service provider, you’ll want to hear why Greg cautions that you can’t be “hands to keyboard” for somebody else and still be building a sustainable company. He explains that saying yes to clients isn’t a scalable product (or a product at all...), and what you should be saying instead.  What You’ll Learn In This Podcast Episode: How much Greg adores it when his cottage is filled with podcast wattage. [3:46] What companies often really need help with when they come looking for the “sexy stuff” of automation. [7:15] To steer clear of mimicking someone else’s funnel--instead of creating the one your business needs--because it will have you waking up one day with a business you don’t want. [20:36] Why getting one lead generation funnel working well unfortunately doesn’t mean you’re done with the work of perfecting your lead gen. [26:23]  The question that Greg asks that lets him flawlessly diagnose why you have a lead generation problem. (Hint: If your answer is vague, it’s a baaad sign…) [30:50]  How you might be falling into the trap of selling your time for money, even if you think you aren’t. [34:07] What Greg means when he says we’re currently not in a knowledge economy, but rather an application-of-knowledge economy. [50:32]  Why the prevalence of YouTube tutorials and other good content means most business owners probably already know what they need to do, but need a framework for how it fits into their business, what steps should be taken, and in what order. [51:24] Links from This Episode: thinkdigital.co/gift facebook.com/groups/SBLaunchPad system.ly  keap.com

 How To Know When To Quit  Welcome back to S03 Episode 44 of the Think Digital Podcast. Today I’m talking about what it means to fail, and how it is that you can recognize that. Some failures are obvious, right? If you’re spending more than you’re earning, or conversions just aren’t working, it can be pretty clear that it’s time to stop - or at the very least, pivot. Other failures are less obvious. I talk you through a real-world example of a program I ran that had some success, but that cost far too much. Every single Thursday, I quit something. - Bob Goff It would have been tempting to keep it going, but I want to talk you through what I like to call the Failure Scale. This involves examining your offer against three set criteria: ● Energy Allotment ● The Two Month Rule ● Avoiding Incrementalism There are no easy answers when it comes to working out when it’s time to throw in the towel, or when it's worth you keep going. Are you spending all of your time and up-front energy on something that you don’t plan on being a major source of income? Are you succeeding, but just not as much as you would like? The response you’re getting is lukewarm or tepid, but not what you were hoping for. Are you working your fingers to the bone, but with razor thin margins and insane amounts of work? I talk you through one of my personal examples of when I knew it was time to call quits. It can be challenging to reframe what feels like failure into an honest reevaluation of what might not be working. Everything in your business isn’t going to be easy, but there are times where you know that too much time and too much energy is being spent over way too long… for way too little. Instead of pushing yourself above and beyond, and after two months you’re still giving your all? It’s time to pull the plug. There’s no shame in knowing when it’s time to pivot, reframe, and evolve. Listen to the end to find out the danger of creeping incrementalism. An incremental change is skipping your daily Starbucks, but having a mortgage that’s too big for your budget. Instead of incremental changes, I’ll give you the lazy person’s way to cover a lot of ground, very quickly. Think of it as your exponential hack, and the way to free yourself from something that just isn’t working. So whether you’re looking for some common sense advice from someone who’s been there or a few rules that you can apply to your own business thinking, then this episode of Think Digital is for you.

 The Warning Signs It Might Be Time To Digitize Your Business When it comes to your business, you’re probably in one of two camps: you’re either a traditional business or an online business. However, this is beginning to change. What’s happening increasingly is that traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses are looking at how to branch out online. But how do you do that? How can you take the physical version of your business model, and make it digital? A lead generation funnel. There isn't a single kind of business that hasn’t benefited from a digital lead funnel. So if you think it might be time to digitize your business, read on to see if these points ring true. 1. Competitors are figuring it out faster than you are They’re not better. They’re not smarter. But somehow you’re finding that your competitors are pulling ahead of you. This likely means they’ve worked out how to automate something you’re still trying to do by hand. Business A has automated its lead generation Business B relies on word of mouth and referrals Which do you think is going to bring in the biggest number of leads? Honestly, this becomes the difference between walking a mile or driving a mile. You might end up in the same place, but it’s going to take you a lot longer to get there. 2. You’re afraid of missing out, but you’re MORE afraid of feeling foolish “I have this great idea, but…” You’ve got these big ideas, but you feel stuck in a place where you can’t quite reach across to do it. Instead, you feel uncertain and without the confidence to follow through on what you’d secretly love to do. So what do you do?  You might find that the gap between your idea and your skills is too wide, but that doesn’t mean that you need to go alone. Instead, remember that this is why there are experts and consultants out there.  If there are things that you want to do, but you don’t feel like you know how you need to reframe your thinking. Think WHO, not HOW. Who can help you to do what it is you want to do next? 3. What Got You Here Isn’t Going To Get You There You might find that your business is beginning to plateau. What has been going gangbusters is now beginning to tail off. Or perhaps you can see why there’s a finite number of places that you can go. If this is you, it might be time to consider how to branch out using the knowledge and skills that you have, just repurposed in some way. It can feel terrifying to dip into digitizing your business, but this isn’t something that you have to do by yourself. Your job is to be good at your business - let other people help you to reach the next level. 

Do you ever feel like your clients see you as a cog in the wheel? Replaceable? Interchangeable with someone else who does what you do? Years ago, I had a bank as a client. They believed their values, "Service, Loyalty, Integrity, Honesty" were enough to set them apart from every other small bank on the planet. Spoiler alert: they weren't. They were getting crushed by the competition and couldn't figure out why. It's because they were playing by the industry's rules—and not setting themselves apart ... for real. When a client sees you as replaceable, a few things happen: You have to compete on price. It's WAY more difficult to establish a relational connection with your client. You're completely, totally, unavoidably forgettable. On this week's show, you'll see what happens when you "monetize your mind" and create a business that's wrapped around the way you think (which is WAY more difficult to replace in the open market). . . . . . .  TAKE ACTION Liked this week's show? Claim your free gift and get started monetizing your mind at StartTheExperiment.com. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts  Spotify   Google Podcast   Overcast   Pocket Casts   Stitcher

Have you hit the ceiling of complexity in your business yet? If you haven’t, you’ll likely face the challenge of trying to grow the impact of your business beyond where you’re at now. Defining the “ceiling of complexity” is super simple: you hit a level of success and then the stuff you did to generate results stops working. You can’t work more hours. You can’t raise your prices. You can’t go and get more clients. On the surface, it might seem like you’re stuck. I hit that limit when I was working 60, 70, 80 hours a week in my digital agency. We tapped out just under 7-figures. Because, frankly, that's when everything kind of exploded. I couldn't work more. I could not give more hours. I had a wife that I wanted to stay married to. I had kids growing up that I wanted to see.  For that alone, things had to change. That's when I discovered the four levels of "Monetizing Your Mind" I talk about on this week's show. --- Take Action Liked this week's show? Claim your free gift and get started monetizing your mind at StartTheExperiment.com. Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcasts   Spotify   Google Podcast   Overcast   Pocket Casts   Stitcher

One of my mission in this world is to help people stop trading their time for money. And one of the biggest benefits of being an entrepreneur is generating income 24/7 without being directly involved - it's called Freedom. The way I do that primarily is by helping folks create scalable digital products - whether it be online courses, coaching programs, virtual summits, etc. In this episode, I share 4 secrets fears that holds people back - and in this context, building digital products. Show Notes [03:19] Fear #1: Money Ask yourself a series of questions. How much is financial freedom worth to you? Financial freedom means the income that you make is enough to cover your expenses in perpetuity without having you to pull levers to earn it What is time freedom worth to you? [04:36] Why entrepreneurs get stuck financially When I was starting my business, there is a season of hustle but you can't run a business out of hustle. You'll burn out. I reached a point where the market cannot tolerate the price increase. You might be making an impact on your business but not life-changing levels of wealth. The solution is to bottle up what you know into a digital product that you can sell over and over again. You have a sales channel that's open 24/7 called "Digital You" [07:42] Fear #2: I don't have time Audit your time for two weeks and be as granular as you can. More hours rarely fix the problem. In many cases, more hours compound the problem. Start time allotting time (for ex 1 hour) for a digital product. The more time you free up on your calendar. the more time you can put on building a digital product. [10:19] Secret Fear #3: I have no confidence. Building something once and selling it a thousand times takes believing in your skill-set and wisdom. That's where the confidence needs to come from. Ask yourself: Do I know what I'm doing? The feeling of having not enough social proof will never go away. [15:03] Secret Fear #4: Finding the right time Finding the right time is just an excuse. There's never a good or a bad time. There's just time. Create small steps: Ask your audience with their pain point. Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

For those who may not know, I used to be a pastor before launching Think Digital, but I was really interested in social media and digital marketing.  I found myself coming up with excuses everyday as to why I cant launch my digital product. I felt that people may think that I am a fraud, no business experience,  no team, and my biggest excuse of all - there are a million people who are talking about digital marketing. Finally, I have a friend who shifted my way of thinking about digital products, and I eventually stopped making excuses. Show Notes [01:44] The conversation that changed the way I think about digital products There are hundred of thousands of books getting published everyday Pick any topic you want into Google and there are hundreds of thousands of books every topic You have experiences, relationships, and a particular way of seeing teaching a particular topic [03:25] The three shifts in concepts that completely changed my family's life Digitizing my mind - What I knew. Digitizing my skills - What I did. Digitizing my systems - How I did it. I launched my course in July 2013, and by the end of the year, we had 100 students in our first course. [05:00] The hurdle in creating digital products Why would anybody listen to me? It's not always a problem of skill. Throughout the years, I saw people who knew less skills that I did but makes more money. Stop making excuses. Start building the digital product that you want to make. Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

You know how friend zone, or being in the friend zone works. A guy or a girl giving tremendous amount of care and support to their special someone. And after all the effort, they're just...friends. Your business can suffer the same fate as well. I was put in the business friend zone with the clients that I wanted to work with, where I would show interest in working with a client or have a desire to work with a client. Have you ever been in this situation?  Listen in as I'll share 3 steps no how you can break out of the business friend zone. Show Notes [1:00] How "Friend Zone"  in the relationship setting works On a guy's perspective, A guy likes a girl, guy waits on the girl, caters to her desires and whims, etc. But the girl doesn't like the guy or not like how the guy likes her anyway. "I'm so glad we're just friends". [02:38] Friend Zone in the business perspective I was doing all the things that I was supposed to be doing as a business . I was giving a ton of "value" to those who I want to work with. The business likes having you around but have no intention of ever working with you. [04:36] Step 1: Create some friction in your market Say something that scares you. Be easily approachable, but not easily accessible. Don't be afraid to piss some people off in your market. Be bold, take a stand, be who you want to be in business instead of who you think your market wants you to be [05:56] Step 2: Teach the "what" and sell the "how" Businesses give away the milk because they think it will attract buyers. By doing that, you are training your audience to ignore you. Show the market that you understand the problem that they are facing. This builds trust. Do not give away your solution. SELL your solution. [07:28] Step 3: Increase your opportunity volume Businesses get put in the friend zone because they don't have a predictable, dependable way to automatically bring in new opportunities. Once you have the ability to increase your opportunity volume, leads will come in. Have a simple and predictable way to bring in leads. Having bigger opportunity changes your perspective on the market and it changes the way that you approach your market Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcasts   Spotify   Google Podcast   Overcast   Pocket Casts   Stitcher

Distractions are everywhere. Little interruptions - like email, Slack messages, notifications - these distractions get us out of our flow. And brain studies show that it takes the brain 30-45 minutes to get back into the groove after a distraction. In this episode, I'll share how you can get rid of distractions, take back your time and increase your productivity Show notes: [00:55] We thought we are productive I thought I was productive until I did a time audit. I realized that I am wasting a tremendous amount of time. We can't get work done at work so it hounds us all the way home. [02:05] The power of distractions Small situations can even get you out of your groove. Brain studies show that it takes the brain 30-45 minutes to get back into the groove after a distraction. We need to stay in the groove because it's where we do our best work. [03:00] How I get rid of distractions? Put your phone into airplane mode or just turn it off. I use Pomodoro method where I give myself 25 minutes for work and 5 minutes for break Continuous use of Pomodoro method shows increase in productivity. [05:37] Action step Block of 2 hours off your calendar. In my "smash time", I smash my task list. Make it holy. Commit to it and get stuff done. Resources Mentioned It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

We are in an unprecedented time. Coronavirus is here and everything is uncertain. If you don't have the mental tools to stay afloat during this period, it can suck you into the "doom loop". That's why it is so vital right now to have a trusted network and advisers that you can go to in times of trouble. They can help you stay focused on opportunity, productivity, and growth. And in my network, it's Bryan Dewhurst and Phillip Ramsey of Uncommon Wealth Partners. They're also the hosts of The Uncommon Life Project where they guide you to asking different questions, considering different paths and building a life that fits your unique definition of what your uncommon life might be. We went unscripted and shared our perspectives on the whole coronavirus situation, especially how you can get through this. Show notes: [06:58] What's our current situation Many people are calling our situation as "The Great Depression Of Our Era". For the US it's positive because its election year and the government moved pretty quick with the stimulus. So much of the growth we had out of the last financial crisis was fueled by debt, making a lot of the companies will be in a cash flow crunch. [09:35] Corporate Share Buyback Loop In a Nutshell Basically, companies can take a portion of their cash and profits and buy their own stocks. This reduces the amount of stock in the public market. The corporate executives and board of directors have the ability to authorize compensation packages and it can include the award of stock. It's becoming an enrichment scheme for corporate executives using corporate money to buy corporate stock. [14:40] Effects of the pandemic to small business owners There's a package where you can apply to a direct SBA loan at a low-interest rate to have access to cheap capital. Have a strategy for organizing your capital and staying liquid. Having digital products to sell and strategy is crucial. For small business owners, this is the opportunity of the lifetime if you positioned your firm well and is sitting in cash [17:26] How to respond in light of this pandemic Prioritize what's important to you and do what it takes to be intentional on that list. You can either respond with fear or opportunity. It will dictate your results in the future. You need to be creative in how you conduct business in the coming months ahead. Business as usual is now out of the door [23:00] Creative ways that business owners can do to build and grow their business The uncommon response right now is to amp up your marketing. This is the best time to get in front of people. The people who are starting to see the opportunities in this pandemic are doubling down on what they know best. The people who take ownership of the things that they're responsible for and start choosing a path that feels right to them are the ones who'll thrive. [32:43] How can someone who lost everything move forward This is the time to see what you're made of. Get a mentor to help your leapfrog out of your situation. Now is the time to experiment with things like marketing.

Welcome to the first episode of this series called BULLETPROOF YOUR BUSINESS. Let's be real. We've been in an upmarket for the last decade where our businesses started in but the reality is, we're rapidly approaching a down market. And in light of recent events, answering this question becomes paramount:  "How can you make your business survive and thrive regardless of the business environment?" One of them is by downsizing your economic footprint. I share an exercise that you can do to downsize your economic footprint and get rid of unnecessary business expenses. You'll be amazed by how this can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars every month to further grow your business. Show notes [3:00] How To Downsize Your Economic Footprint Create 3 columns in a Trello Board: Must Have, Nice To Have, and Need To Cut. We use that Trello board for a variety of business expenses Print out your credit card statement, check your subscriptions and ask yourself: "Is it a Must Have, Nice to Have, or Need to Cut"? After doing the exercise, set a date on your calendar where you'll cut those expenses off. The first time I did this, it saved us $1,500 a month or $18,000 a year. [05:52] Downsizing your team members and collaborators Use the same exercise. Categorize which roles ones are must-haves, nice to have, and need to cut. In my case, an assistant is a must-have. I will cut everything else before I cut my assistant. Collaborators are classified vendors and partners. [08:02] Interest fees, credit card payments, and debt servicing. Remember: Lenders don't want you to default. If you're in danger with the monthly payments, talk to your lender. They would rather get something than nothing. Work with them to give you more breathing room. [10:30] Why you should not cut on your Ad Spend Law of supply and demand: As supply goes down, demand goes up, and when demand goes up, prices go up. We're in the opposite of that right now. Fear-based businesses are cutting down on their Ad Spend making the clicks, leads, and acquisition costs cheaper. I spent more money on ads in the last 48 hours that I did all last month. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

If you're an entrepreneur, hiring a virtual assistant is a  great path to freedom but you have to do it the right way. It's about having constant communication, clear expectations, and many more. That's why in this episode, I have my own VA, Bobbie  Clark, to be on the show to share how to have a successful working relationship with your virtual assistant.  We share our method on how we document our business processes or SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)  properly and how to properly hand off these tasks to a VA to ensure the tasks are done successfully so you can focus on the "$10,000 per hour tasks" in your business. Show notes: [03:10] How Bobbie got into becoming a VA Prior to becoming a VA, Bobbie has been working as an Executive  Assistant while her husband is in the army and they move around every 3  years. She decided to step back and settled with her kids. She searched for some virtual work and worked at ChatterBoss for 2  years where she can still do what she loves while working virtually. [05:46] If someone has never worked with a VA before, what should they be prepared for? Communication is the key point in building a relationship with your VA. Expect to chat with your VA every day It may be hard to let tasks go if you've never worked with a VA before. Let the VAs know what's in your head so they can identify the tasks, and bottlenecks that are holding you back. [09:25] What kind of guidance should an entrepreneur give to a VA? It's really important to give a pitch of your business for them to know how they can support you. Get the processes out of your brain and share it with your VA. Start with one task and use it as a practice run with your VA to make sure all the necessary steps and resources are given and to see what a true given successful task looks like. [13:50] How to start documenting Standard Operating Procedures Start with basic tasks (making payments, sending invoices, etc) and write it exactly how you do it step by step. Do a screen-record of how you do a specific task or process because it will show the intricacies that might not be able to be properly conveyed if the tasks will just be written. Give your VA time to master the first tasks and they'll eventually match the time and quality of how you do those tasks. In my experience, I record a screencast of a specific task and I'll have Bobbie create an SOP based on it. [24:50] The difference between a good and bad VA It's very important that a VA should adjust to how you work. Set the expectations that you have for the VA to accomplish. If you're seeing errors with tasks, take the time to let your VA  know and address the issue. If you're still seeing issues, look for other options. [32:26] What are the indications that an entrepreneur might need to hire a VA If you want to focus on expanding the business while not sacrificing the quality of communication that you have with your current clients. If you have an expanding to-do list in your business where it's already taking your personal time. [43:30] What do you wish that entrepreneurs knew about working with a VA VAs are here to make our lives easier and they want to take things off your plate. It takes time for a VA to master every process that you want to handoff. Set time-bound goals with your VA so you can both identify where you want to be at a specific date.

Welcome to our first “minisode” for Experimental where I share little nuggets that brought significant results into the lives and businesses of my clients and myself. In this week’s minisode, it’s to take more time off in your business. Take a listen to learn why. Show notes [01:10] Take more time off in your business On the surface, it looks like it’s counterproductive but it’s not. Working less means you have to prioritize more, focus more. If you restrict your work hours/days, your time takes on a new meaning. [2:09] How I apply this in my business I don’t work every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. My team and clients know my schedule and if they want something done on those days, it has to wait. [02:50] What goes into my “off days” I read at a coffee shop. I take my family out to eat. Volunteering at my kid’s school. There are days where I watch viral videos all day long…GUILT-FREE [04:06] Shift your view on taking the time off Everybody sees that rest is a reward for their labor. That’s why. See rest as a necessary ingredient for producing high-quality work. Days off are the highlight of my week because it gives me time to sit, think, and remember that I’m a human being first. [04:53] Action step: How to implement more time offs Look at your calendar and remove one standing meeting permanently. Put 1 hour in your calendar as your “me time”. Do these two little by little until you reach the point where you have another day off. Resources Mentioned Dan Sullivan Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

In this episode, we have Malorie Nicole. Malorie is an Executive and Entrepreneur Performance and Mindset Coach where she helps 6 and 7 figure business owners implement mindset works resulting in tremendous business and personal growth. She's also the host of Abundantly Clear Podcast - a mindset platform for entrepreneurs that want to achieve mental clarity, learn to not only decrease stress but turn it into growth, and continue to create the business and lives most would only dream of. Tune in as she shares her journey, the countless pivots, the mindset shifts as an entrepreneur, how to align your business with your purpose and the target market, and I think the most important thing: How to stop overly-complicating your business and marketing. Show notes [03:27] Malorie's Backstory from being an engineer to a subconscious mind expert [13:10] Her first client experience working on mindset [15:38] What does "mindset work" means [19:18] The hardest part of pivoting and changing identity [20:30] Launching her business with Facebook Live [26:28] Aligning your business with your purpose and the market [29:30] How to market a business that sells transformation [33:01] The power of the phrase "Most of my clients come to me for x " or "Most of my clients say to me these things" in marketing [35:30] The one thing that most people who work with Malory have in common [36:25] Why Malorie chose to invest in putting content on her profile as opposed to her page [40:16] Being able to say NO [42:18] Addressing the limit of 1 on 1 client business model when it comes to scaling [48:38] Breaking the thought of having to scale your business to seven figures or you're nothing Resources Mentioned Abundantly Clear Podcast Money Master The Game by Tony Robbins Connect with Malorie Website Facebook LinkedIn Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

In this episode, I have the phenomenal speaker Grant Baldwin. Grant is an entrepreneur,  public speaker, author of the book called The Successful Speaker, and the host of a podcast called The  Speaker Lab Podcast. We talk about his backstory being in the trenches, the unfiltered realities of being a public speaker doing 70 gigs a year(the good and the bad), his 5-Step Speaker Success Roadmap, and what it really takes to build a successful public speaking business. You’ll also learn his life-changing experience writing his book with the best-selling author Jeff Goins. Snow notes [02:37] Grant's illustrious career of being a speaker [05:47] Speaking is a high paying manual labor job [07:18] What it feels like doing 70 speaking gigs a year and the non-sexy part of public speaking [13:34] The 5-Step Speaker Success Roadmap (S.P.E.A.K) [17:22] Grant's advice to his past self when it comes to public speaking [20:11] How to know that you're BAD in public speaking [23:43] Grant’s recently launched book “The Successful Speaker” with Jeff Goins and how it came together [28:13] His experience collaborating with Jeff Goins Resources Mentioned Jeff Goins The Successful Speaker Speaker Fee Calculator Connect with Grant The Speaker Lab The Speaker Lab Podcast Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

In this episode, I have the one and only Kerry Wise. We’ve been married for over a decade and have 3 wonderful children. Not only that, she’s also my primary advisor, confidant, strategist, and great filter. We talk about some of the challenges we’ve been through in our journey as a married couple during our early years and how we triumphed over it. You’ll hear snapshots of our lives, and her perspective on those challenges, and how she supported me throughout my entrepreneurial journey. Snow notes: [03:59] Kerry being the breadwinner of the family in our early years [07:35]  Our reality in the early years of our marriage [10:01] From working at a church to Monk Development in Kerry’s perspective [15:40] Launching ThinkDigital and “The Basement Years” [25:50] Spouse is the closest voice to the Holy Spirit [30:08] From paying debts to ThinkDigital’s growth [35:07] Kerry’s advice for entrepreneurs to get their spouses on board Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Google Podcast, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Stitcher,

Welcome to the very first episode of Experimental. Here's a confession: I didn't want to do another podcast I thought I was already done with podcasting. I've already done a number of podcasts for the last few years with varying success and they got boring. But then, a bunch of things started happening. I'll share the reasons why I'm starting another podcast, and unpack what are you going to expect from this show. Enjoy Snow notes [01:56] Mentors are telling me that I'm crazy by quitting podcasting When I'm paying people by giving me advice, then I'll take it Shoutout to Chris Lema by pushing me [03:15] I'm missing the podcasting format Podcasting is the perfect format for deeply exploring ideas It's the closest format to the radio, which I love and grew up with I miss being able to connect with my 'heroes' and build a relationship with people like Gary Vee, Michael Hyatt, Jeff Goins. [06:10] I heard all of you A lot of people in my e-mail list and Twitter followers are asking when the next episode is coming. Podcasting is the medium that you and I connected regularly Many of my best clients referenced the podcast in some other shape or form [08:10] This podcast will be about "Tiny Hinges, Big Doors" It's an amazing concept from Perry Marshall where a door is big but what moves the door are the little hinges. We're going to unpack the tiny hinges that we can focus on to swing big "doors" on your business You'll hear successful methods from guests that you can experiment on your own business Finding what works to help you take quantum leaps to your preferred future Finding what works to help you find the highest and best use of your time Resources Mentioned Chris Lema CaboPress Perry Marshall Subscribe To The Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Overcast Pocket Casts Stitcher

 The Warning Signs It Might Be Time To Digitize Your Business When it comes to your business, you’re probably in one of two camps: you’re either a traditional business or an online business. However, this is beginning to change. What’s happening increasingly is that traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses are looking at how to branch out online. But how do you do that? How can you take the physical version of your business model, and make it digital? A lead generation funnel. There isn't a single kind of business that hasn’t benefited from a digital lead funnel. So if you think it might be time to digitize your business, read on to see if these points ring true. 1. Competitors are figuring it out faster than you are They’re not better. They’re not smarter. But somehow you’re finding that your competitors are pulling ahead of you. This likely means they’ve worked out how to automate something you’re still trying to do by hand. Business A has automated its lead generation Business B relies on word of mouth and referrals Which do you think is going to bring in the biggest number of leads? Honestly, this becomes the difference between walking a mile or driving a mile. You might end up in the same place, but it’s going to take you a lot longer to get there. 2. You’re afraid of missing out, but you’re MORE afraid of feeling foolish “I have this great idea, but…” You’ve got these big ideas, but you feel stuck in a place where you can’t quite reach across to do it. Instead, you feel uncertain and without the confidence to follow through on what you’d secretly love to do. So what do you do?  You might find that the gap between your idea and your skills is too wide, but that doesn’t mean that you need to go alone. Instead, remember that this is why there are experts and consultants out there.  If there are things that you want to do, but you don’t feel like you know how you need to reframe your thinking. Think WHO, not HOW. Who can help you to do what it is you want to do next? 3. What Got You Here Isn’t Going To Get You There You might find that your business is beginning to plateau. What has been going gangbusters is now beginning to tail off. Or perhaps you can see why there’s a finite number of places that you can go. If this is you, it might be time to consider how to branch out using the knowledge and skills that you have, just repurposed in some way. It can feel terrifying to dip into digitizing your business, but this isn’t something that you have to do by yourself. Your job is to be good at your business - let other people help you to reach the next level. 

When it comes to working with clients, some disagreements are to be expected. However, the trick to mitigating these - and avoiding disaster - is much simpler than you think. You may think that if you bring people the end product and if you always deliver, then that is the only thing your client needs to worry about. Yet for some people, there is an area that matters even more than that: clear communication, and clear expectations. Clients are paying you to lead. We’ve got the best 5 ways to make sure that you have crystal clarity with your clients every single time.  1. What You Are Doing For Them First of all, you need to spell out what it is that you’re going to do for your client. This needs to be simple, clear, and as granular as possible. For example, we will be copy writing your Facebook ads or I am going to coach you for 12 hours per month. The big reason for beginning your communications as simply and clearly as this is that if you can’t explain it simply then it’s highly possible that you don’t understand what you’re meant to be doing.  2. What You Are NOT Doing For Them Once you’ve parsed out what it is that you plan to do for your client, you then want to make sure you are creating the right kind of boundaries by emphasizing what you won’t be doing for them. Without this, even the most well-intentioned client can pull you into product creep that sees you working far longer without any of the benefits. Be crystal clear about what’s within your specific remit for this task, and the extras that don’t come along with the package. You’ll find in general that this is a relief for your clients, who can then plan around what you can do for them, and know where they have to fill in the gaps. It doesn’t have to be fixed in stone if you don’t want it to be. You can choose at a point to break a specific rule when you want in order to cultivate the relationship.  3. How You Will Communicate With Them The truth about a lot of clients is that they will worry that they’re bothering you. They want to know what’s going on, but don’t want to feel like they’re intruding. Take away the stress for both of you by specifying exactly what they can expect. Will you be communicating via email or through a separate project management system? What kind of timeframe are you looking at, and when can they expect to hear from you? Your clients will follow your lead, and will appreciate you being clear and open about what works for you (so that it works for them).  4. How You Will NOT Communicate With Them Of course, there will always be some people who use every contact detail that you have, so it’s also appropriate to specify how you won’t communicate with them. In many cases this is as simple as letting them know that if they send messages outside of designated hours, or on unsupported platforms, that you cannot guarantee a reply. While they may think they’re getting hold of you, if they’re sending you messages through an unmonitored channel, it’s important that your client knows their messages may not be acted upon.  5. What If People Break The Rules? You’ll find in so many cases that your clients are relieved to have clear boundaries in place, and manageable expectations for the two of you. However, maybe you find you’ve got a rule breaker on your hands. As a general guide, the first time you redirect. The second time you correct. And the third time? You fire them. Why? Because how you do anything is how you do everything. If they can’t listen to you when it comes to not texting you at 2am, or assuming you’ll do work and disagreeing with your clear communication, then they’re showing that they don’t respect the work you’re doing for them. Ultimately this is to set you and your client up for success so you can get the work done that you need. The basis of any relationship is good, clear communication. And in business, it’s a solid foundation

The 5 Streams of Wealth In today’s podcast, Justin Wise, Brian Duhearst, and Phillip Ramsey talk a little bit about the five streams of wealth. Most millionaires, at least in the United States, have multiple sources of income. Today's guests are experts in that and are currently helping Wise and his wife learn more about building out sources of income. So, what exactly are the five streams of wealth? #1: Uncommon Banking “The first one we call uncommon banking. It's kind of like a saving strategy through cash value, life insurance. But basically, you know, in the olden days you used to get 5% or 6% on just bank money and that doesn't exist anymore. Because of our financial indebtedness as a nation, interest rates have to remain low to finance debt and so we're not paid to save. And so really whether you do the life insurance strategy with us or not, we try to teach you how to get all of your cashflows to do one thing. I'm so anti diversification, there's kind of two parts to uncommon banking, but in that getting money on liquid cash and as business owners and entrepreneurs, we need to sit on more cash because we're taking risks in a different way than most people.” #2: Real Estate "The second one is real estate because we all buy a home. The tax code is geared for owning real estate, more so as rental properties or commercial, that type of thing. So it's not primarily focused on your primary residence; it's more focused on outside of your primary residence." “You want to get there faster with less risk. So we're all on the same team to do that. That's what's easy for me as I just always say, ‘numbers don't lie.’ Let's take that from an emotional decision of buying a real, a rental property that you've never done before.” #3: Investments “I think our competitive advantage is not only just having a set of listening ears and all of that, but we fundamentally realize that the stock market is not the best investment.” #4: Owning a Business “It was just apparent to me that a lot of the people that had millions of dollars, in almost every instance, it was built through owning a business. So in that, I learned at a young age that owning a business was super powerful. I love business. Philip loves business. And then I spent about five years at Deloitte and Touche and consulting, auditing companies like Union Pacific, picture, Hathaway, Geico insurance company to name a few. I mean these are fortune 100 companies and seeing how businesses run.” #5: Subscription Model and Affiliate “And so we have a subscription model, which is how we get paid to give that advice and help you take action on the ideas. You just want someone else to tell you that you're not crazy. Right? And by crazy, what you mean is this is the part that you appreciate it even though we're not quite there in the process yet. We're kind of in the ‘dream’ stage and it's basically saying, hey, let's take what you want to do and I'm going to run the numbers on it and I'm going to show you based on what you have now, how long it would take to get there.” Today’s podcast will dive into the meat of the five streams of wealth. Duhearst and Ramsey dig into their own experience in harnessing this kind of financial stability and provide examples of how it can be done efficiently. Tune in to learn more about how you can think differently about your financial livelihood, what you want out of your businesses, and how it all interlinks and goes together.