ADVANCE: Take Your Next Step with Mike Acker

A lot has been talked about the importance and power of public speaking. But do you know it has a marketing benefit too? With the right preparation and a few hacks, public speaking can be turned into a powerful marketing strategy that can help you get your business off the ground and make your name known in your industry.Today, Mike interviews established public speaker and coach Odell Bizell. Odell shares his take on the marketing benefits of public speaking and the ways to become an effective public speaker, including the mistakes to avoid and the points to keep in mind. He shares 4 effective techniques to master the craft, explaining how to drive engagement and generate marketing benefits for people through public speaking. Learn also about Odell’s path to becoming a public speaker and what drew him towards the profession.EPISODE 8 [SEASON 2] SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSExplain the marketing aspect of speaking.05:25Most speakers are good talkers but not good listeners. Listening to your audience gets you content from them– the people you want to speak with, teach or sell. Another mistake people make is not speaking for the audience. You must consider your audience's demographics, interests, and expectations and deliver accordingly.What are some mistakes people make when speaking to an audience?08:29Most speakers are good talkers, but not good listeners. Listening to your audience gets you content from your audience itself – the people you want to speak with, or teach, or sell. Another mistake people make is not speaking for the audience. You must consider the demographics, interests, and expectations of your audience and deliver accordingly.What makes a great business professional great at speaking?11:55A great speaker can speak to the audience so well that the audience doesn't even have to say anything. This is an achievement one can reach in two ways:12:44Know your audience and insert yourself into their conversation.13:02Practice more than you perform.What are some public speaking techniques you’d like to share?29:54Start well.The importance of a good starting presentation: It is best to create shock or excitement in your audience’s minds and draw them to the conversation when starting.31:21      2. Start with a quote. Start with a quote. Expand on something that makes them go ‘wow’.32:03        3. Drive engagement.Drive engagement. The more you get people to do something, the better they’re likely to buy. Ask them to sign up somewhere or perform an action when public speaking.32:59     4. Be honest.Practice complete and utter honesty. Give your audience a choice – to be engaged or not.Closing thoughts by Odell.36:59If you want to scale your business and make more money than you ever thought you could, public speaking is a good option. Because it is the only skill that you can buy, rent, and sell.QUOTES17:27-17:36“Public speaking is performative, but it's not like the performing arts. It's not like acting. It's not like athletics (and) all of those things.”20:39-20:54“Every market has industries that have associations, and everybody that hires a speaker usually is a professional in some form or fashion. All you have to do is find that association, and then you super-serve an underserved association.”CONNECT WITH ODELLWebsiteLinkedInCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn

Having a vision — and being able to communicate that vision to your team — is key to being a great leader. There’s an undeniable link between speaking and leadership, knowing which is key to business success.In this episode of the Advance Podcast, Mike talks to you about the 3 essential questions to ask yourself before attending a speaking event and how they help determine the purpose, importance, and effectiveness of your speaking. You’ll learn about why you must be led by a vision – be it in communication or leadership – and how having one helps your team stay focused too. You’ll also learn about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), their benefits, and limitations. Listen in!EPISODE 07 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat are the three questions you must ask yourself every time you start to speak with people?02:42The three questions one must ask themselves before communicating to an audience are: ‘Who am I talking to?’, ‘What am I saying?’, and ‘Why am I doing this?’.‘What am I saying’ is an important question to ask because many people get into some form of public speaking having no idea what they want to put across to people. They have a few points they have gathered, but they aren’t clear how or in which manner they can put it out for people to understand.The ‘Why am I doing this’ question is even more important because it gives you clarity of purpose – it should ultimately come down to something personal, not something production-oriented. When it does, you’ll know why you need to communicate effectively.What are KPIs? What are the benefits and downsides of it? How does it explain the parallel between communication and leadership?18:53KPIs are short for Key Performance Indicators, which was popularized when Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Norton created the balanced business scorecard. They are like the SMART goal for business and assess if an employee is performing well as they should be. KPIs give you a lot of clarity by enabling you to measure the success, the direction, the activities, the outcomes and the productivity of the people that you lead. The one limitation of KPIs is that they can’t measure the ‘why’ – why people are doing or not doing something. For instance, during these days of the Great Resignation (as many of us choose to call it), there’s a lot of talk about employees leaving companies, but the ‘why’ behind this remains uncertain. Knowing the ‘why’, whether it’s in communication or leadership, is essential to move forward.KEY QUOTES:04:58-05:15“Knowing the why behind what you say gives purpose. So knowing that gives clarity and direction as to what you're going to say. And knowing the why gives you purpose, it gives you conviction, it gives you belief that what you're saying actually matters.”06:20-06:32“The difficulty with KPIs is that they can give direction but not purpose. They can tell people what to clearly do and goals, but it won't tell them why they're doing it.”RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTBOOK: Write To Speak by Mike Ackerhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B081TVZZYXCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeackerdotcom

What is the most effective way to communicate with your direct reports? Have you considered guiding them with questions, helping them figure out solutions and improvement ways by themselves, or do you still follow the traditional lead-with-answers methodology? In this episode, Mike discusses why the former method is the most effective in leading your team with confidence while naturally instilling in them qualities of accountability and responsibility. You’ll learn the three Ps to asking questions to your direct reports and the four Cs to parenting levels and see how the two combine in effective leadership.Learn to become a natural leader to your direct reports in this episode. Tune in now!EPISODE 6 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat must you keep in mind when speaking to direct reports?04:52Lead them through questions. You don’t have to tell your direct reports what to do because they can often figure it out themselves; maybe sometimes, you’ve to direct them towards it. The 3 Ps to asking questions helps include:[05:38]Psychology: When you’re being asked questions, your brain tries to get ready to respond to them. That means, even if the brain were in a passive state until then, it would jump to being active when asked questions.[08:44] Problem: Answering someone’s questions requires humility and time. Initially, a sense of pride may come over, which is a problem, but as humility gradually replaces your problem of pride, you’ll realize how beneficial it is to lead them through questions.[11:17]Process: Figure out how you must ask questions. When done properly, asking questions is a highly effective way of leading.How do you lead people through questions the right way?11:38Go slow: If you’ve been the answer-teller all this while, it might take time for your people to adjust to this new attitude. Implement the practice slowly so that everyone is comfortable with the changes.12:14Go methodological: Have a flow of questions. Go from one point to the next. The four Cs of parenting: Commander, Coach, Counselor, Consultant, explain what the different parenting levels teach you about work and leadership.What are the four Cs of parenting?12:37Commander: This is the stage where you're telling your children what to do. You're the boss in charge of their actions, helping them understand right and wrong.13:21Coach: After early middle school, your role with your child becomes that of a coach. You help them see the pros and cons, weigh the good and bad, and help them understand the implications of different choices. In this stage, you're helping them manage the outcome.14:12Counselor: As kids get older, you won't weigh the pros and cons of a situation with them. You help them process what they think is a good idea.14:50Consultant: The last stage is that of a consultant. This comes at the point where your kids have moved out of the house and ask your opinion about situations. They might take it or leave it, but your role as a consultant is to be a good advisor to them.KEY QUOTES:01:37-01:51“If your speaking is higher, then people will assume that your leadership is equally as high. But if your speaking is lower, and even though you're a great leader able to get things done, then people will assume that your leadership is much lower.”07:16-07:29“When you ask a question, instead of just telling them what to do, start putting it back on them and leading them through a series of questions… What happens (then) is they start having to take ownership of the issue.”CONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn

Why do you think so many of us use fillers in communication, stammer when stressed, and are unable to reach the audience's minds through our words? Because sometimes, we need some time to think before we say something. And the best way (we think) we can buy that is by using fillers or other inefficiencies in communication. Today, Mike coaches podcaster and content creator Adam Macias on communication, LIVE on the Advance Podcast. Kill your fillers and communication discrepancies as Mike chats with Adam about his life and business to demonstrate the different ways in which ineffective communication show up and how to avoid them. You'll learn to slow down your speech (naturally), pause whenever necessary, and do a simple exercise to help you with your communication quickly! Tune in.EPISODE 5 [SEASON 2] SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat are the four things you need to avoid in communication?05:19The four things to avoid in communication are:1)    Fillers2)    Elongation3)    Stammer4)    Garbage words How do you avoid using fillers?09:50Replace fillers with pauses. Our vocal speech is very different from a written speech. When speaking, we need to pause more often in our expression and allow little gaps in between. How do you slow down your speech?14:45Practice pauses. You might think that makes you talk a lot slower and that adding up words makes you speak faster, but it does not. If you think your pause would take long, ask for a second.What is the mirror exercise for communication?21:45Stand in front of the mirror for two to ten minutes and read a book. You’ll be able to assess your body language and way of communicating effectively using this method.KEY QUOTES:09:25-09:28“The more we think about it, the more we want to do it.”19:00-19:03“Pauses allow you to stop before you say something you shouldn't.”20:20-20:35“If you'll just take a moment and fill up your belly, then you'll feel more peace, and you'll have more power, and pauses allow you to do that. Pauses allow you to analyze the room; pauses allow you to smile.”CONNECT WITH ADAMDaily MisinformerLinkedInCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn  ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com---------- 

Technology is progressing at an exploding pace. Since the pandemic, remote conversations and conferences have increased, something that wasn’t normal to most of us before. But whatever the cause, we’re all forced to adapt to the change. And it starts with learning effective virtual communication.In this episode of the Advance Podcast, Mike teaches you how to make the best out of virtual conferencing and communication by sharing the three specifics to doing it right. He teaches you to convert the virtual communication “obstacle” into an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with people anywhere, from anywhere. Listen in to learn more!EPISODE 4 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhy do many people find virtual communication challenging? 03:42 There are two different modes in which people operate: the social mode and the solo mode. In the social mode, even if you’re an introvert, you’re in the mental state to talk to people openly. You’re attuned to your ears, body, and are fully physically present in the conference room or sales meeting or wherever you are in the social setting.When in solo mode, you’re with your computer doing your job, managing tasks for yourself by yourself. When the pandemic happened, everything started to occur at the same time, your social mode started to run over your solo mode. People started behaving the same way in social mode even when in solo mode. That kind of behavior de-energizes the whole room.How can you improve virtual communication?08:031. Get a decent setup. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it has to be decent. Look professional.  Invest some time in a backdrop, get some lights behind the camera, blackout curtains for any windows that add light where you don't want it, a good camera, and a microphone.11:262. Eye-contact. Be able to speak to the other people in the eye. Set up the lighting and background in a way that’s less distractive. Position your camera in a way that you’re able to look at it while you speak.13:553. Energy-level. Treat yourself well, aim at putting our best foot forward, give your best shot. Use gestures and good communication practices to sound energetic and present.KEY QUOTES:06:59-07:05“Anytime you're virtual conferencing, start acting like you're with people.”07:42-07:46“A whole bunch of people being de-energized, de-energizes the room.”18:39-18:53“Zoom is an obstacle and an opportunity. An obstacle because we're not right here together holding hands. I'm not doing this training in person. It's also an opportunity because I can do this training for you wherever you are and have viewers around the world.”RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      BOOK: Speak & Meet Virtuallyby Mike AckerCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn

As an entrepreneur, "losing" is a risky word. But though victory is enthralling, it's also fleeting; there'll always be another mountain to climb. Failure teaches you something new every time. This is why failures shouldn't bother you so much; it is never about winning or losing; it's about winning or learning, as Nelson Mandela once said.In this episode, Mike is joined by Serial Entrepreneur Jonathan Shroyer. Jonathan shares all about building successful businesses, learning from failures, and building your company atop solid foundational principles. He also talks about ideating, how he assesses the multiple ideas that cross his mind and scaling your business by implementing structure.Tune in to catch a win-or-learn mentality to scale your business to greater heights.EPISODE 3 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhy is it important to start a business that answers a need? What are the critical steps to building a business? 4:451. Start with a need or demand.5:122. Create a unique solution to address the need or solve the problem at hand.5:203. Assess your solution – Think if it can scale over time.5:274. Ask yourself if you have the passion, grit, resilience, and willingness to get through the inherent differences when they arise.06:135. In addition to the initial steps, it’s essential also to ask yourself how to scale your business, what your team should look like, what skills or competencies you have or need to acquire and when to acquire them.What are Jonathan’s company’s guiding values?How do you scale your business?How did Jonathan develop the skill of ideation?How do you assess an idea?Closing advice from Jonathan.26:51Believe in yourself and write down your goals. If you don’t write it down, it will only remain in your thoughts.RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      Book: Lead With No Fear by Mike Acker●      Book: Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success by Carol DweckCONNECT WITH JONATHAN SHROYERLinkedIn | Twitter | WebsiteCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn  ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com---------- 

The world is full of naysayers, and often, the things we say to ourselves are just as bad. But the question is if you don't believe in yourself, who will? Holding yourself back from success is the easy route, but no one will care more about your success than you. Jeff Wright started an exploding business by just believing in himself, and success came calling.In this episode, Jeff sits with Mike to explore his path to success, including how he got started and overcame the challenges. He also talks about the importance of building a lasting client relationship, integrity, perseverance, and open communication in setting up a successful business.Tune in to learn first-hand the process behind setting up a product-based business!EPISODE 2 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSHow do build a company that brings in exploding growth?14:17Of the many important things involved in building a growing business is integrity. Jeff explains that you need to have integrity in your distributing partners. It’s essential to figure out a way to work with them collaboratively to develop a solution that would allow you to maintain cash flow.How do you build a lasting client relationship?17:15Show your clients commitment. Have difficult conversations with them when necessary; be available for them.What are some lessons to learn from Jeff’s success?18:34Innovation, perseverance, and a great team could be transformative to the growth of your business. Success comes naturally when you have a team that strives for the same thing.Advice for executives to advance in their careers.20:04Build a culture of open communication with your team. Challenge ideas, work collaboratively to come up with better ideas.How do you stay grounded in yourself and your professional success? ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

What is your definition of success? How do you plan on achieving it? In this episode, Mike shows you the five different drivers of success. These include education, expertise and experience, emotional intelligence, communication, and work ethics.Tune in to learn the skills in detail. EPISODE 1 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat are the five drivers of success?02:49 EducationWhat type of success do you want? Does it require formal education, or does self-education help? Success is no longer about the number of degrees you have or the college you went to.04:31     2. Expertise and experienceMost often, what people look for is the skills, sometimes, not even the experience. There is a correlation between the two, but not necessarily a causation. Some people have done the same thing for a long time and still are not experts. Some people have invested themselves, put in the targeted time, and become experts, even without years of experience.06:09     3. Emotional intelligence (perhaps the most important driver of success)Unless you understand yourself and the people around you, it's difficult to reach a certain level of success. Emotional intelligence is necessary.12:59    4. CommunicationAssertive communication is an important determinant of success.  20:41  5. Your work ethicLastly, your grit, determination, and hard work are what lead you to success.How do you build emotional intelligence?08:24Building self-confidence starts with self-awareness. Start looking at yourself in the third person. Analyze your present state, assess and discover what you're doing well and can do better. Be aware of others the same way. A large part of it also involves empathy. Understand people and make sure to not react to situations, instead take the time to assess them and respond. What is the difference between aggressive communication, passive communication, passive-aggressive communication, and assertive communication?13:27Aggressive communication – Aggressive communication indicates that you're only running over people. It's when you act in an aggressive, fighter-type stance, and you're focussed on the task alone. Aggressive personalities are more prone to fights.14:10Passive communication – Passive communication is when you are too agreeable; you let people decide everything. You might attribute it to introvertism, which isn't the case. There are passive introverts and passive extroverts. 14:41Passive-aggressive – Most people are passive-aggressive in their communication. They passively say things. For example, Mike explains that if he were to talk to his wife and say, 'Hey, it's gonna be a long day, and I just really wish I didn't have to come home to dirty dishes in the sink,' that would be passive communication. He isn't directly asking his wife to do anything, but he's passively, aggressively implying that she gets it done.  15:43Assertive communication -- This type of communication is where you say what you mean and mean what you say. Many of our verbal and nonverbal aspects need to be taken care of when communicating this way.What are the three different areas to focus on for assertive communication? ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 45Marketing is more than just advertising. Though anyone can advertise their product, it takes skill to generate interest, create brand awareness and sell products and services. How do you do that?In part 2 of Mike’s conversation with Tim Fitzpatrick, we learn in detail about marketing fundamentals and how to put them into action. Tim talks about the free resources he’s offering for our listeners at the Advance podcast and how you can make the best use of them!For exclusive resources from Tim Fitzpatrickhttps://www.rialtomarketing.com/advance-with-mike-ackerEPISODE 45 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSCan you break down the marketing fundamentals quickly?Here’s a quick description of the marketing fundamentals-1:59Understand who you're going to serve and how you're going to serve those people.02:09Work on your messaging -- which is what you say to those people, how you talk about the value you offer, and how you say that in a way that grabs attention and springs action. 02:42Plan on how to get your message in front of the people.Can you elaborate on storytelling for marketing messaging?05:50For marketing messaging, it is best to use a storytelling framework. It helps people focus on your message and not on you. Your customers can thus know what they receive from your product or service. Storytelling enables us to communicate clearly what we do and what we have to offer in a short period.Do you think storytelling amounts to manipulation?14:13It does not. Storytelling is about communicating with people in a way that resonates with them. You speak in their language to connect with them better.Can you talk about the steps to planning?21:46The first step to planning is identifying your target market. Your target market needs to be specific, measurable, and time-bound. 22:43Next, you need to know where you intend to go without getting too attached to it. 23:23Thirdly, you need to identify your budget and resources to get an idea of who you want to work with. 23:49The fourth step is identifying your current plan -- to get a baseline of where to start. 25:32Identify what you’re going to focus on in the next 90 days with your marketing.Can you talk about the three phases of the marketing evolution index checklist?RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      StoryBrand by Donald Miller●      Right To Speak by Mike Acker●      Check out the Free Resources Tim’s offered for Advance listeners here.CONNECT WITH TIMWebsite | LinkedIn CONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 44It’s rare to find someone who isn’t aware of the importance of marketing today -- be it their brand, message, business, or even themselves. But how informed are we when it comes to discovering, growing or expanding our target audience?Tim Fitzpatrick joins Mike in this episode of the Advance Podcast to provide actionable insight for businesses or entrepreneurs to find, understand, and work with their target audiences. We’ll explore marketing fundamentals, how to find our unique selling point, and ways to scale our business to a significant measure. Listen in!For exclusive resources from Tim Fitzpatrickhttps://www.rialtomarketing.com/advance-with-mike-ackerEPISODE 44 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat is meant by the target market?6:19The target market refers to the people you're going to serve. The vast majority of us work with clients who're not a good fit for us, which is not only not fun but is also not profitable in the long run. The broader your client base, the greater the chances of getting the wrong clients. That is why it's essential to narrow down and be specific about the people you market.Any suggestions for people who cannot choose to be specific about their clients?13:43It might not be possible for everyone to have a filtered client base. But not being specific has its drawbacks -- you run into problems more often. In any case, it’s essential to measure your non-negotiables before figuring out whether to move forward or not.How can people discover their unique selling point?16:15To discover their unique selling point, people need to find out what they’re good at. They also need to see what problem they’re helping their client solve.How do entrepreneurs and business people start with marketing?19:46Start with your current and past customer base and ask yourself three questions:●      Who do you enjoy working with?●      Who are your most profitable customers?●      Who do you do your best work for?It will help you have a subgroup of current and past class customers you love working with who are profitable and help you get great results. Your most ideal clients reside within these.How do you target the people to work with?24:15Once you've figured the group of customers that you've served that check off the three boxes suggested above, you can start to dig into the psychographics, demographics and how they behave. Their actions, behavior, commonalities, and interests will help you discover your target audience.How do you grow your target audience?29:10RESOURCED MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch●      Speak With No Fear by Mike Acker●      Check out the Free Resources Tim’s offered for Advance listeners here.CONNECT WITH TIMWebsite | LinkedIn CONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

Check out Sriram's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite him to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 43Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do - it's how we communicate, it's how we build relationships, and most importantly, it's how we entertain each other. Of late, business teams are starting to understand the power of this art to try to bridge this distinction between arts and management. In this episode of the Advance Podcast, Mike interviews Sriram Emani, Founder of IndianRaga, one of the largest global social media platforms for Indian Performing Arts. He is a 2015 Global Fellow with the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), where he was the only Indian out of 52 Fellows from across the world!Sriram shares his thoughts on arts and science and how they work in unison to create better things for society. He also talks about his passion for storytelling, the value points from his Ted Talk about the importance of being imprecise, his thoughts on uniting different cultures, the challenges faced, and how to use art to power innovation.EPISODE 43 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSHow do you differentiate art and science?4:34When you have an established practice, a protocol, process, or formula, you call it science, but when it's still new, and there are different interpretations possible, you call it art. Art gives us a multitude of perspectives and backgrounds for us to learn from. What are your lessons from doing things nobody has ever done before (like living as a nomad with 50 families)?7:11While I was doing my MBA from MIT, I kept hearing people talk about market research. I learned that people might give you answers, but they don’t always know what they want. So even if you ask a lot of questions, you get stereotypical answers, and that's detrimental to innovation because you're not really getting what you want. Over the years, I’ve also learned what globalization of culture really means. It's a way of really one generation talking to another or expressing. Where do you think storytelling holds the most significance today?14:05Storytelling holds significance almost everywhere. It doesn't matter if it's a data analytics company, entertainment company, consulting firm, finance company - metaphors, analogies, and stories are the most powerful tools to convince and analyze your audience. It helps you engage with your audience and build a connection with them. Why do you think traditional boxes are important?17:12I learned that there always is a role and will be a role for history in our lives. It can help you draw a parallel between the then and now. Traditional boxes are essential because sometimes you want to build on a body of work. And for that, you need all individual boxes and components that you can draw from to get to a certain level. Then you build on top of that. So you need all of the innovation and creativity that come in from these individual boxes - they're always going to be very important.What do you think the Eastern and Western civilizations can learn from each other? What can the audience learn from the integration of those?24:54Can you give us a snapshot of your Ted talk where you talk about the value of being imprecise?30:20(FULL SHOW NOTES FOR FREE:  https://connect.stepstoadvance.com)KEY QUOTES:3:31-3:545:30-5:3617:12-17:41CONNECT WITH SRIRAMLinkedIn CONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn

Check out Rosalie's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite her to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 42What makes communication so tricky in conflicted and diverse settings? Why do we get awkward or angry? Why do we get easily threatened and frustrated? What can we do about it? To answer these questions (and much more!), Rosalie Fisher joins Mike on this episode of Advance Podcast. Dr. Rosalie Fisher is a professor at Arizona State University and has done training and events worldwide, including several organizations and communities. Rosalie discusses how to connect art and engagement, communicating effectively amid diversity, and her work with the National Conflict Resolution Center. Tune in to learn the golden nuggets to effective communication from Rosalie Fisher!EPISODE 42 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSHow do you connect art and social engagement?4:15I've taken my background in art and used it as a catalyst for stimulating more engagement, more community dialogue events, and studying the impact that dialogue has on human behavior, human perspectives, and their perception of others. I think something for me, what embodies the artistic experience, is how it differentiates itself from what we've gotten used to with the internet. The internet has had a lot of damaging consequences on us. You've heard probably everywhere about the echo chamber effect - that says when we have a certain perspective and we share it on the internet, it causes that same perspective to come back at us, whether it's in the form of the news we take in, or the communication, the groups and the forums we're a part of or the things we're reading. So we've gotten away from that ability to communicate face to face, communicate through differences, and despite disagreements, see that human aspect of communication that has been hidden behind the screen. Merging the artists' performances, films, and other things can bring people together in conversation - when they have different perspectives, have different lived experiences, and learn that communication does not have to equate to conflict or that differences do not have to equate to hostility. We're bringing humility back to communication.What led you to work with the National Conflict Resolution Center?8:57What are some key communication strategies we can have when we get into a conflict?13:08Can you talk a little about diversity training?For comprehensive SHOW NOTES visit connect.stepstoadvance.com----------FIND PAMELA & OTHER AUDACITY SPEAKERS ATwww.audacityspeakers.com▶️  WHY AUDACITY SPEAKERS? Because powerful speakers have one thing in common. It’s not a particular style, but firm confidence that they have a message to share and value to provide. We call that audacity.  From a bestselling author to a TEDx speaker to the founder of a nonprofit that has matched over 22,000 volunteer hours with needs around the world, our speakers do have something to say—something that will impact your company or event for years to come—and the authority to say it.Even with incredible speakers, we are not just in the business of booking events; we build valuable relationships. We have been organizing, consulting, and speaking for over twenty years. And we bring this experience to engage your audience and add value to your event.Find Speakers with Something to Say - www.audacityspeakers.com----------To request Mike Acker or another speaker to address your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email: events@audacityspeakers.com

Check out Bart's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite him to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 41Hospitality is an increasingly competitive field, with success almost entirely dependent on human connection. If you want to know how to achieve success in this field, this episode is for you.Today, Mike interviews Bart Berkey, the winner of the 2021 best luxury hospitality award, keynote speaker and host of the podcast, Most People Don't, But You Do. Bart shares his experience working and soaring in the industry, the importance of developing empathy, accountability, ability to prioritize, and flexibility. He also shares his latest book, Most People Don't (And Why You Should), which currently resides in the top 1% of book sales on Amazon!EPISODE 41 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat does it mean to be incredible in hospitality?3:19To do well in the hospitality sector requires you to be empathetic. It's always about the customer, the client, the guests - you have to make others feel comfortable. In a study done previously, it was found that approximately 80% of people are not predisposed to being empathetic. To be able to get into the mindset of doing things for other people is a great trait you need to have if you want to be successful in the business.If you’re someone rising through and want to make gains, how do you start shifting the culture to one more of customer service and hospitality?7:43Be empathetic to others - it's going to make you feel good, and it's going to make the recipient feel good. The same thing happens when you're creating this culture within an organization. If you’re doing good for your customers, you feel good about it and they receive it well. It will spread positivity throughout the organization. It will also lead to more engagement, customer loyalty, and revenue. Can you unpack some of your life principles?14:39I believe that it’s important to differentiate yourself from others always. If you can do what most people are not doing, it's going to differentiate you.Secondly, you need to take action. You can remain unfocused and unmotivated tomorrow by doing absolutely nothing. But if you want to become fit, if you want to become motivated, you need to take steps to get better, which requires doing. Three other important principles I talk about are accountability, priority, and flexibility. You need to have these to be successful. How do you find balance in the middle of doing?20:56Is there anything else that you want to share with us today?30:08For comprehensive SHOW NOTES visit connect.stepstoadvance.com----------FIND BART & OTHER AUDACITY SPEAKERS ATwww.audacityspeakers.com▶️  WHY AUDACITY SPEAKERS? Because powerful speakers have one thing in common. It’s not a particular style, but firm confidence that they have a message to share and value to provide. We call that audacity.  From a bestselling author to a TEDx speaker to the founder of a nonprofit that has matched over 22,000 volunteer hours with needs around the world, our speakers do have something to say—something that will impact your company or event for years to come—and the authority to say it.Even with incredible speakers, we are not just in the business of booking events; we build valuable relationships. We have been organizing, consulting, and speaking for over twenty years. And we bring this experience to engage your audience and add value to your event.Find Speakers with Something to Say - www.audacityspeakers.com----------To request Mike Acker or another speaker to address your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email: events@audacityspeakers.com

Check out Ina's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite her to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 40Most people don’t think about the concept of gender stereotyping until they become an adult. However, gender discrimination starts as early as childhood - at the age of six, to be exact.Ina Bhoopalam, the young Founder and Executive Director of Dream Equal, dug into the issue when just in high school. Having faced gender stereotyping as a student, she wanted to create a space where people, irrespective of their gender, could pursue anything they wanted to in life.In this episode, Ina joins Mike to share her inspiring journey founding her non-profit organization, Dream Equal, its vision and mission, and about identifying and correcting discrimination among young people so that we can work on bettering the world together - as one.EPISODE 40 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat was your inspiration as a young minority social entrepreneur?1:19It circles back to my personal experiences growing up. While in school, I was in many activities which had more boys participating, and it was harder to be a girl competing in those. It caused conflict in groups, and I started to be ridiculed on social media. That’s when I started reading about gender stereotyping. I learned that gender-based discrimination develops at the age of six and that there weren’t any organizations working to spread information about the same for people that young. That idea led me to found Dream Equal. How would you advise young entrepreneurs wanting to start amid the disruptive changes in the world today?8:24How do you tie gender equality to climate justice?11:15Tell us about gender stereotyping in workplaces.16:48Closing words of advice from Ina.22:40CONNECT WITH INAWebsite | LinkedIn | InstagramCONNECT WITH MIKELinkedIn For comprehensive SHOW NOTES visit connect.stepstoadvance.com----------FIND INA & OTHER AUDACITY SPEAKERS ATwww.audacityspeakers.com▶️  WHY AUDACITY SPEAKERS? Because powerful speakers have one thing in common. It’s not a particular style, but firm confidence that they have a message to share and value to provide. We call that audacity.  From a bestselling author to a TEDx speaker to the founder of a nonprofit that has matched over 22,000 volunteer hours with needs around the world, our speakers do have something to say—something that will impact your company or event for years to come—and the authority to say it.Even with incredible speakers, we are not just in the business of booking events; we build valuable relationships. We have been organizing, consulting, and speaking for over twenty years. And we bring this experience to engage your audience and add value to your event.Find Speakers with Something to Say - www.audacityspeakers.com----------To request Mike Acker or another speaker to address your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email: events@audacityspeakers.com

Check out Shawn's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite him to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 39Life can be simple or complex — depending on how we choose to live our lives. We all lead different lives, and, as such, we use different tools and techniques to make sure we’re accomplishing the things we need to accomplish. That’s where prioritization and preparedness come into play.Shawn Conrad is a man of many talents - he’s a renowned speaker, artist, and actor who used his past experiences in the entertainment industry to find his voice and develop his skills as a speaker.In this episode, Shawn speaks with Mike about his exciting journey in life, playing multiple roles professionally while finding quality time to spend with his family. Shawn speaks of the importance of prioritization and preparedness in life and how they were instrumental in helping him grow as a successful and satisfied individual.EPISODE 39 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSHow can you be present with your family while also playing multiple roles professionally?6:01Since the beginning of my music career, it was essential for me to be a great father - it all circles back to your legacy. As young adults, your children should be able to recollect good, inspiring stories about you to carry with them. Also, you can always organize your work and responsibilities in a way that keeps quality time aside for your family - it’s all about setting priorities. How did you make a career switch from the entertainment industry to corporate life?13:03Preparation was crucial for helping me grab new roles and opportunities. I was constantly preparing myself for things that might be demanded of me in the future.What is the most valuable takeaway from your speaking sessions with your audience?27:28Tell us a little bit about the Pirate Rap that you did when in the entertainment industry.29:53For comprehensive SHOW NOTES visit connect.stepstoadvance.com----------FIND SHAWN & OTHER AUDACITY SPEAKERS ATwww.audacityspeakers.com▶️  WHY AUDACITY SPEAKERS? Because powerful speakers have one thing in common. It’s not a particular style, but firm confidence that they have a message to share and value to provide. We call that audacity.  From a bestselling author to a TEDx speaker to the founder of a nonprofit that has matched over 22,000 volunteer hours with needs around the world, our speakers do have something to say—something that will impact your company or event for years to come—and the authority to say it.Even with incredible speakers, we are not just in the business of booking events; we build valuable relationships. We have been organizing, consulting, and speaking for over twenty years. And we bring this experience to engage your audience and add value to your event.Find Speakers with Something to Say - www.audacityspeakers.com----------To request Mike Acker or another speaker to address your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email: events@audacityspeakers.com

Check out Pamela's Keynotes at www.audacityspeakers.comOr invite her to speak - Events@AudacitySpeakers.com---INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 38Is social good just the same as Corporate Social Responsibility?Pamela Hawley, Founder and CEO at UniversalGiving, shares with us her incredible life founding and running a tech-for-good company, and all the while enjoying the responsibilities that come with her job. Universal Giving is an award-winning nonprofit that helps people give and volunteer with vetted, quality opportunities all over the world.Mike and Pamela also talk about CSR, its importance in companies today, and her fantastic thoughts on leadership.Visit Pamela's organization at https://www.universalgiving.orgEPISODE 38 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSCan your true calling be your job? If so, how?2:57When you like your job, you’ll feel called to it. You get up every day with a grand sense of purpose. Whether it's full time or part-time, there's something we should be doing. It's very magical if we're connecting to what we're supposed to be doing to help the world.Can you tell us a little bit more about Universal Giving?6:07Through volunteering experiences, one gets to see how challenged the world is. I created Universal Giving by taking the ground experiences that are available to all of us and then marrying them with my love of technology. Now people can come in, they can choose an issue such as education, or human rights, find projects, or NGOs, and get volunteer opportunities.My experience says that if people can't go and see it on the ground, you’ll have to bring back the trust. That was the genesis for the quality model and Universal Giving.What is entrepreneurship, according to you?8:27Entrepreneurship is about taking an idea to fruition. Here are some lessons I learned about the same - Think about commitment and longevity to make sure that your idea stays for the benefit of the community.With entrepreneurship, you’re constantly learning.If you're an entrepreneur and are being insightful about it, you are also growing yourself.What does it take to be in a tech-for-good company like Universal Giving?12:57What is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)? Why is it important for companies these days to focus on CSR?23:30What are your thoughts on leadership?25:20KEY QUOTES...For comprehensive SHOW NOTES visit connect.stepstoadvance.com----------FIND PAMELA & OTHER AUDACITY SPEAKERS ATwww.audacityspeakers.com▶️  WHY AUDACITY SPEAKERS? Because powerful speakers have one thing in common. It’s not a particular style, but firm confidence that they have a message to share and value to provide. We call that audacity.  From a bestselling author to a TEDx speaker to the founder of a nonprofit that has matched over 22,000 volunteer hours with needs around the world, our speakers do have something to say—something that will impact your company or event for years to come—and the authority to say it.Even with incredible speakers, we are not just in the business of booking events; we build valuable relationships. We have been organizing, consulting, and speaking for over twenty years. And we bring this experience to engage your audience and add value to your event.Find Speakers with Something to Say - www.audacityspeakers.com----------To request Mike Acker or another speaker to address your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email: events@audacityspeakers.com

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 37It is true that becoming a paid public speaker (or influencer) is one of the most attractive career choices today or simply a great side-hustle. But talking in front of a crowd requires you to master some skills that are absolutely necessary.What are these skills? How can you master them? Let’s find out.Learn how to build yourself as a speaker, the foundation sources you need to stay in the game, and much more from Mike Acker in this episode of the Advance podcast!EPISODE 37 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSHow do you build yourself a platform as a public speaker or influencer?2:44To build yourself a platform as a public speaker, you’ve to be one of these - there has to be a reason for people to listen to you, there has to be a reason for you to influence others, or there has to be a reason for you to be a thought leader or an influencer. What are the five foundational sources for you to become a successful public speaker?3:14 1. StoriesSome public speakers become immensely successful because of their stories of overcoming a challenge. Some examples are speakers like Bethany Hamilton or Aron Ralston. Both of them have a fascinating and dramatic story that gets the audience hooked. The bigger your story, the better it sells.  Your success attracts people. If you are wildly successful, people will want to learn about your success story.7:482. SuccessYour speaking platform comes from noticed success. And noticed success comes from having a daily rhythm.9:383. ProductOnce you have a product that is wildly successful, you get noticed by publications and media. If you do not have a success story, the next best thing is to launch a product that you can talk about. This could be a clothing line, a new book or even an app.11:154. AffiliationBeing affiliated to someone could open various doors of opportunity for you. 13:435. PersonalityHaving an attractive personality often makes up for the other factors. An example could be comedians. What attracts the audience is their comedic persona.15:456. Hard workThis is a standalone quality that is absolutely necessary for your success. You need to work hard to get where you want to be. KEY QUOTES:02:44-02:53“There has to be a reason for people to listen to you. There has to be a reason for you to influence others. There has to be a reason for you to be a thought leader.”07:16-07:21“The more successful you are with something, the more you can speak from that platform.” 07:54-08:02“When it comes to speaking, your speaking platform comes from the noticed success, not just the daily success. But the noticeable success comes from your daily rhythms.” RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      Book-  Pirates, Scoundrels Saint●      Person –  John Maxwell ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 36One of the things that keep you from being a great public speaker is anxiety. We invest so much of our energy thinking over and over the worst-case scenarios and in the process, fall short of giving our best each time.In this episode, Mike talks about easing our anxiety during public speaking. He shares four highly useful strategies to improve our speaking. And the best part? These apply to events of any scale, be it high-profile interviews, online meetings or large gatherings. EPISODE 36 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat are the four ways to ease anxiety when speaking?3:16 1. Practice off-stageThe first step is to practice off-stage what you are going to present on stage. It also involves practicing breath control - not doing so could trigger your anxiety and make you lose focus.5:042. Practice DirtyOften, when we practice our speech, we picture an ideal environment. That may not be the case during the actual presentation. That is why we need to practice dirty. "Practicing dirty" means imagining the worst-case scenarios and being prepared to deal with them. Practicing doesn't necessarily refer to speaking; it includes everything that comes along with it- breathing, smiling, pronunciations, pauses, and the like.6:563. Listen to the expertsWe often give in to the fear of others' opinions. However, an expert's view would do you more good than the audience's view.Most people read the room wrong and jump to conclusions. To eliminate this, we need professional advice.14:374. Dig out your strategyYou need to educate yourself about the various strategies out there and choose one that works the best for you.What are some other tips to reduce your anxiety while public speaking?18:30If you feel like your anxiety or stress is intense, you could always consult a doctor. You could even try taking supplements to take the edge off your stress. One such supplement is Pure Calm .  KEY QUOTES:04:32-04:53“The problem is that people don't know how to breathe. So if you learn how to breathe and practice breathing offstage, when you're on stage, breathing becomes a part of your regular rhythm. It's just part of what you do. A lot of times this simple strategy of breathing to release some of your anxiety becomes cumbersome.”12:28-12:38“It's not practice that makes perfect, but it's perfect practice that makes perfect. The more you do it right, the more confident you are going to be when you perform.”13:34-13:38“Correct your thoughts with the right actions. Ultimately, those actions lead to emotions, and action again leads to the thought.” RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTEpisode – ADVANCE with Mike Acker Episode 4 with Aimee BruneauCarmine GalloStress ReliefSupplement is Pure Calm . Mike Acker's 2nd Edition of Speak With No Fear - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096PX4XJ4  ----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 35Many of us aspire to be promoted and move up the corporate ladder, at one point or another in our lives. But what does it take to get to the top? Is there a specific career strategy you can follow to get yourself promoted?In this episode of the Advance Podcast, Mike speaks with author and leadership coach Emily Sanders about getting to the top of the leadership structure at your company. Emily discusses her book, Hacking Executive Leadership, shares how she landed the idea for the book and what she wants to convey through the same. We also learn adaptability, having the right lens to view things as a leader, and Emily’s three circles concept that helps you stay cool in the most challenging times. Listen in!EPISODE 35 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat is the idea behind hacking executive leadership?4:35Everyone is their own person, and they have their own set of experiences. Hacking into what unlocks the next level of leadership for every one is going to be unique. You have to hack your own code, and go into the matrix. This is the general idea behind hacking executive leadership.Why do people want to be an executive or a top level leader, at a company that they might work at?5:38There are many motivations for that. Some people want to be able to say that they are at that position, some other people want to serve their team better -  take them to the next level, or they could be ambitious and want responsibility and power.What do you mean by the concept of swizzle?7:24The concept of swizzle revolves around adaptability. Every person is different. Every stage or opportunity is different. Your ability to adapt makes you the best at whatever you do.Why do you think adaptability is so important for the executive leader?9:33As you move up, you get more difficult and complex problems to solve in your career.  Nothing gets to your desk without some really smart people working on getting it there. So you have to think creatively and draw on different resources that you have from all areas of your life. The concept of swizzle revolves around taking lessons from the different areas in life and applying it when you need to in any other area.What does it mean to have the right lens as a leader?.... RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST●      Video - Adaptability by General Stan McChrystal●      Person - Floyd Mayweather, champion boxer CONNECT WITH EMILYWebsiteBook - Hacking Executive Leadership by Emily Sanders----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------

INTRODUCTION TO EPISODE 34It can be a tricky conversation to have, but teaching your kids financial management from a young age can help instill good money habits now and into the future. When you show them how to make money and what to do with the money earned, you’re equipping them with business skills early on in their life.In this episode, Mike Acker shares how to speak to your kids about finances and how to raise their learning bar to help them achieve what they’re truly capable of. We learn the five areas of finances to teach our kids and how to make them understand the same. Listen in!EPISODE 34 SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTSWhat are the five areas of financial management that you can teach your kids?4:16InvestmentYou can teach your kids about the capital that goes behind starting a business. Make them understand that when starting a business, some money needs to be put behind it. 7:25Business expensesThere are three types of business expenses that you could talk to your kids about. These are - fixed, variable, and periodic expenses.10:25LabourTalk to your kids about paying people for the work they do. Make them understand that this amount is proportional to the overall effort they put in the business.11:36RevenueShow your kids how there’s revenue that is going to come in from their business.12:06ProfitTeach your kids what profit basically means. Make them understand the simple math behind calculating profits - expenses (labour plus business expenses) minus revenue equals profit. KEY QUOTES:13:22-13:31“Know your kids. Know your grandkids. Know them and believe that they’re able to do more than you currently do.”13:48-14:03“Teach them now the basics of business, financial management, and they’re going to be so far ahead of the game that they’ll be able to advance someday. You'll be laying back and living off the incredible work that your kids do.”----------(Full show notes & more resources visit connect.stepstoadvance.com) Check out the YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/c/ADVANCEwithMikeAcker ----------To book Mike Acker to speak to your group or facilitate a specific workshop, email:media@stepstoadvance.com----------