CBNation Feed

IAM2771 – Why a Lack of Purpose Stagnates Business Growth

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:16:43 -0400

The Fallacy of Constant Motion

A common struggle among builders is the tendency to confuse motion with direction, leading to a state of high productivity that remains fundamentally unfulfilled. While many leaders are capable and driven, they often experience a quiet tension caused by building without a clear understanding of why they are building what they are building. When a business grows faster than the founder's clarity, the resulting misalignment manifests as an endless cycle of urgency and exhaustion, where progress feels heavy rather than energizing.

Engineering Practical Purpose

In this episode, Susan Rose discusses how helping others discover and plan for their life’s purpose became the foundation for her own meaningful and sustainable growth. Purpose is not an abstract concept; it is a practical executive tool that functions as a filter for decision-making, prioritization, and the confidence to say no to misaligned opportunities. By slowing down to address deeper questions of intent, builders can avoid the trap of constructing massive organizational structures on shaky, misaligned foundations.

The Shift to Abundant Design

The definitive insight from this conversation is the shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundant mentality, where life and business are designed cohesively rather than as separate, competing entities. True momentum is created when a leader gives themselves permission to move past external expectations and operate with pure intention. This alignment ensures that as the business scales, the resulting clarity creates momentum that actually lasts, allowing for a trajectory that is both successful and personally resonant.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2770-the-importance-of-consistency-trust-and-fundamentals-for-organic-growth/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
A lot of builders don't struggle because they lack talent. They struggle because they lack clarity. They're capable, they're driven, they're doing a lot of the things right. But underneath all of the activity, there's a quiet tension that they don't always name. I've been there. You're busy. You're not fully sure why you're building what you're building. If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm Gresh, and for over a decade, I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, one thing has become clear: success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose, even when we feel the journey should be a straight and linear path, what I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share, drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately. So be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 01:42

A lot of builders don't struggle because they lack talent. They struggle because they lack clarity. They're capable, they're driven, they're doing a lot of the things right. But underneath all of the activity, there's a quiet tension that they don't always name. I've been there. You're busy. You're not fully sure why you're building what you're building. In episode number 5 of the IMCO podcast, I spoke with Susan Rose, and she shared how helping women discover and plan for their life's purpose actually became the foundation for meaningful and sustainable growth for her. What really popped up for me during this conversation was how people often confuse motion with direction. You can be fully productive and still feel unfulfilled. There's a lot of people, and I've even been in this situation, where you can be growing and still feel disconnected from your work. For builders that are working in their business on every single day, this usually shows up in subtle ways. You say yes to opportunities that look good on paper but don't always feel aligned once you're in them. Just think about it. You keep moving forward, but the motivation feels thinner and thinner than it used to. What happens over time is there's a misalignment, and that misalignment turns into burnout. That burnout turns into frustration, or that feeling that you're building something that doesn't quite fit who you are and ultimately where you want to be. This episode highlights an important truth: purpose is not something that is abstract. It's actually something that is very practical. Purpose actually influences how you make decisions. It's ultimately like a filter— what you prioritize, what you have confidence to say no to. Even without that clarity, everything feels urgent, every opportunity feels equal, and that creates an endless amount of exhaustion. The work shared in this episode focuses on slowing down long enough to ask the deeper questions before building bigger structures on shaky foundations. And of course, that matters to builders because that's what we're ultimately building. Because when your business grows faster than your clarity, the pressure increases. That fulfillment doesn't. Here's a question that you can definitely think about a little bit more. Where am I building based on expectation instead of intention? That single reflection can reveal why progress feels heavy instead of energizing. Now, obviously, in this episode, we go deeper into how purpose can connects to planning, why alignment matters more than hustle, and how clarity creates momentum that actually lasts as well. What was really powerful is we had a conversation around this idea of operating from an abundant mentality rather than a scarcity mindset. We explored when you give yourself permission to design your lives and your business together cohesively rather than either or, you're thinking both and better. You don't have to treat them as separate things. And I think that's one of the most powerful things that we get reminded of in this episode.

The post IAM2771 – Why a Lack of Purpose Stagnates Business Growth appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2770 – The Importance of Consistency, Trust, and Fundamentals for Organic Growth

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:16:54 -0400

The Discipline of the Fundamentals

A common misconception among business builders is the belief that growth is solely a product of finding the right tactic or “hack”. While marketing shortcuts can be appealing, sustainable growth often stems from a commitment to doing the basics exceptionally well. Much like in sports, where success is defined by fundamental movements like blocking and tackling, business success requires a mastery of the core operational essentials. By resisting “shiny object syndrome” and the urge to constantly add more complexity, leaders can achieve better results by doing fewer things at a higher level of quality over a longer period.

Engineering Trust through Repetition

Organic growth functions as a compounding asset that is built primarily on a foundation of trust. Unlike flashy campaigns that provide temporary spikes, trust is a human-centric element developed through consistent reliability and the prioritization of relationships. It is not built overnight; rather, it is the result of showing up and delivering quality over and over again. This repetition and reliability ensure that the business moves beyond transactional interactions to create a community-based engine for long-term development.

The Compounding Value of Sustainability

For founders toiling within their business, the strategic path forward involves doubling down on consistency instead of chasing the next new tactic. When a business is built with partnership, patience, and a grounded perspective, it creates an infrastructure that is truly sustainable. This approach allows organic growth to compound naturally, as people are more likely to support and refer businesses they can rely on. Ultimately, the most refreshing and effective way to scale is to ensure that the fundamental core of the operation remains steady and dependable.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2769-how-solving-your-personal-problems-can-become-your-next-business-opportunity/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
A lot of founders believe growth comes from finding the right tactic. And don't get me wrong, I love hacks. I am a huge fan, obviously, of SEO hacks. But on episode number 3 of the I Am SEO podcast, a husband and wife team that proves that growth often comes from doing the basics exceptionally well.

If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm Gresh, and for over a decade, I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, one thing has become clear: success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose, even when we feel the journey should be a straight and linear path, what I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share, drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately. So be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 01:41
A lot of founders believe growth comes from finding the right tactic. And don't get me wrong, I love hacks. I am a huge fan, obviously, of CEO hacks.. But on episode number 3 of the IMCO podcast, that husband and wife team that proves that growth often comes from doing the basics exceptionally well. Think about sports. A lot of times it's blocking, it's tackling, especially in football, American football at least. You want to make sure that you're doing those basics the right way. So in this episode, episode number 3, they actually shared how their dental practice grew organically, not through flashy campaigns, but through trust consistency, and community. They focus actually on relationships, that human part of business. They focus on showing up, and they focus on delivering quality over and over and over again. For those builders, the people that are toiling in their business, this is a huge— and I mean huge reminder.

Growth doesn't always come from doing more things. I think often we can get shiny object syndrome. Maybe we want to do this, we want to do that, but sometimes it comes from doing fewer things better and for a longer period of time. Keep in mind that organic growth will compound when people trust you, and trust isn't built overnight. It's built through repetition and reliability. Ask yourself this question: where could I double down on consistency instead of chasing the next new tactic? And of course, check out this episode because we go deeper and deeper into partnership, patience, and how growing together in business and life helped them to build something that was truly sustainable. If you're building something long-term, this conversation offers a grounded and refreshing perspective.

The post IAM2770 – The Importance of Consistency, Trust, and Fundamentals for Organic Growth appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2769 – How Solving Your Personal Problems Can Become Your Next Business Opportunity

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:16:20 -0400

The Fallacy of the Abstract Idea

A prevalent misconception among business builders is that a successful venture must originate from a novel, abstract idea. In reality, the most enduring entrepreneurial foundations are often built upon a persistent personal problem that refuses to go away. At its core, entrepreneurship is an exercise in high-level problem solving. By focusing on a clear pain point, a specific audience, and a definitive solution—rather than attempting to appeal to everyone—a leader can transform a personal struggle, such as navigating a specific health journey, into a scalable platform for others.

The Strategic Advantage of Lived Experience

The deeper a builder understands a specific problem, the more effectively they can serve their market. While technical knowledge is valuable, the true driver of high-impact businesses is empathy derived from lived experience. By “scratching your own itch,” you eliminate the guesswork involved in identifying customer needs because you have already navigated the obstacles yourself. This creates a natural environment of trust and allows for the creation of practical resources that truly resonate with those still struggling with the same challenges.

Engineering Your Next Market Opportunity

The definitive “CEO nugget” for identifying future growth lies in a simple audit of one's own life: identifying a challenge already solved that others are still struggling to overcome. True entrepreneurship is found in the transition from solving a personal frustration to scaling that ultimate solution for the benefit of others. By reflecting on the recurring problems that demand your attention, you may find yourself closer to your next significant business opportunity than you realize.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2766-the-strategic-advantage-of-an-intentional-mindset/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
Most builders think business starts with an idea. In reality, many start with a personal problem that honestly won't go away. At the heart of entrepreneurship, it's all around problem solving. And in episode number 3 of the IMCO podcast, I had a health coach, Connie Curtis, that shared how navigating her own gluten-free journey actually became the foundation for empowering others with real practical resources.

If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm Gresh, and for over a decade, I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, one thing has become clear: success isn't about following someone else's blueprint.. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose. Even when you feel the journey should be a straight and linear path, what I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share, drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content: visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately. So be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 01:47:
Most builders think business starts with an idea. In reality, many start with a personal problem that honestly won't go away. At the heart of entrepreneurship is all around problem solving. And in episode number 3 of the IMCO podcast, I had a health coach, Connie Curtis, that shared how navigating her own gluten-free journey actually became the foundation for empowering others with real practical resources. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, she focused on clarity, your pain, Your audience, clear solution. And this is the lesson that most builders often miss. The deeper you understand a specific problem, the easier it becomes to serve people well. And what made her approach powerful wasn't just the knowledge. Don't get me wrong, the knowledge definitely helped. It was empathy. She wasn't guessing what people needed. She had lived it. It's this idea of scratching your own itch. Scratch your own itch, you're able to solve it. Often you're able to solve other people's as well too. So here's a question to reflect on today: what's a challenge I've already solved in my own life that others are still struggling with? That answer might drive you closer to your next business opportunity than you think. If this resonates with you, check out the full episode. We go deeper into how she built trust, created resources that truly help, and stay aligned with her overall mission while growing her impact. It's definitely worth diving into, but even more impactful is you asking the question and understanding what thing is bothering me over and over again. What is a problem that needs to be solved? What have I solved? And maybe how can I do that for other people? That's true entrepreneurship. That's what is your ultimate solution.

The post IAM2769 – How Solving Your Personal Problems Can Become Your Next Business Opportunity appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2768 – Multi-hyphenate Actor and Artist Helps Clients with Online Visibility

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:16:30 -0400

Rio is a multi-hyphenate film, television, and voice actor, commercial model, motivational speaker, writer, and event host in the entertainment industry. In the realm of digital marketing, he's a highly accomplished graphic artist, web developer, and branding expert. He believes in shattering all limitations of what humanity is capable of.

CEO Hack: Structuring your day in advance
CEO Nugget: Take more chances, don't play it safe
CEO Defined: Leader and curving a path to your own destiny and legacy

Website: https://riorocket.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theriorocket/
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/riorocket
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rio-rocket/

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam442-multi-hyphenate-actor-and-artist-helps-clients-with-online-visibility/?admin_email_remind_later=1

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE. I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Transcription:

Rio Rocket 00:00
I would say take even more chances, you know, take even more chances. Don't, don't play it safe. Anytime you play it safe, you're probably missing out on an opportunity to learn or, or to grow. That's my advice.

Gresham Harkless 00:43
Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I Am CEO Podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today, Rio Rocket of RioRocket.com. Rio, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Rio Rocket 00:52
Thank you for having me.

Gresham Harkless 00:53
No problem. Super excited to have you on, and what I wanted to do was just read a little bit more about Rio so you can hear about all the awesome things that he's working on. And Rio is a multi-hyphenate film, television, and voice actor, commercial model, motivational speaker, writer, and event host in the entertainment industry. In the realm of digital marketing, he's a highly accomplished graphic artist, web developer, and branding expert. He believes in shattering all limitations of what humanity is capable of. Rio, are you ready to speak to the IMCO community?

Rio Rocket 01:24
Yes, I am.

Gresham Harkless 01:25
Awesome. Let's do it. So to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story, what led you to get started with your business.

Rio Rocket 01:32
Well, about 25, 30 years ago, you know, I always knew I wanted to be in control of my own destiny and I always had that drive in me. So, you know, I, what I did was I found out what I was really good at, something that I could work at that didn't feel like work to me, that I really loved, I had a passion for, and I found a way to monetize that skill, that talent. Which was originally graphic design, web development, illustration. I kind of found my way as an artist without ever having to be a starving artist. So as a CEO, you know, one thing you always want to do is you want to keep your business and your movements profitable. So anything you love and you really pour into, as long as the quality is there, you're going to find people who will compensate you for your work.

Gresham Harkless 02:26
Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I always say it's almost like a cheat code, so to speak, to be able to do something that you're passionate about, that you're good at, and then also be able to monetize it, as you said. And I think so many people are trying to find that, especially a lot of times they end up being like that starving artist, but it sounds like you've been able to definitely find that and been able to help so many people out as far as providing those services.

Rio Rocket 02:50
Yes, yes, definitely. And it's, it's never truly felt like work because I've always found a way to, you know, just dig deep inside me and say, you know what, what I did last time is not the best I can do. I can do better. And I just continue to pour out higher and higher quality of work, effort, customer service, and communication for the client. And it's worked very well for me.

Gresham Harkless 03:13
Yeah, that's great to hear. And, uh, the saying goes, you know, find something that you love to do, you'd never work a day in your life. Um, so that, that's definitely, uh, evident with you. So I wanted to hear a little bit, I know you touched on it a little bit. Um, could you, did you just kind of, when you say you did that exploration to find out what you really were good at, I think a lot of people that might be listening might try, try to find out, or maybe not aware of what that is. Did you just kind of try different things to, to kind of explore exactly what you felt like you were best at?

Rio Rocket 03:41
Well, I, I was born an artist. I could draw before I could read and write. So I didn't know what I was good at from a very young age. However, of course, I've tried many different things. And fortunately, when you do try different things, it helps you know what's not good for you or it doesn't work for you. And I was, I was just led back into a more creative space eventually, just, just by, you know, following that path, you know, it's, it's just blind faith and intuition. That will lead you to the right thing. It doesn't have to be intellectualized or calculated that much. It really is just what you're feeling and what you're being pulled towards. And that's how I got back into it, into being creative after trying many other things. And, you know, I like to live a good life and I like to provide for, you know, my family, friends who are in need. So I found ways to to use that as motivation to set a high value for my work.

Gresham Harkless 04:44
That makes perfect sense. And I definitely appreciate that. It's funny, a lot of times when I was trying to explore exactly what I felt like was my thing, I kind of went back to when I was as a kid, because I think a lot of times when you get into the world, you get older, you start hearing all these things, you start, you know, believing you have to go this path or that path. But a lot of times when you were, whatever you were doing when you were young, you didn't really do it for money. You didn't do it because, you know, you got prestige or anything. You did it because it was your love. It was your passion. A lot of times it was your gift. So a lot of times I would go back and look at that. So I appreciate you for sharing that with us. And I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper. I know you touched on this as well too, but I wanted to hear how exactly you work with the clients. Can you take us through a little bit more about what you do?

Rio Rocket 05:26
Well, every client is different. Every client is unique. And the first thing you have to do is communicate with the client and understand what their objectives are. What is their goal? What are they trying to accomplish? What's their biggest pain points? And based on what you can offer, formulate a plan, send them a proposal or verbally explain to them, this is how I can address your pain points. And it's usually growing their business. It's usually visibility. So whatever you provide that offers visibility, in my case, Branding, web development, uh, PR, social media marketing, things like that. You know, I'm going to give a client a package, uh, maybe a few different choices to see what they can afford, something that'll fit within their budget, maybe something that might stretch their budget just a little, just to get a little bit more out of them. And that's really how you do it. That's the formula.

Gresham Harkless 06:21
Yeah, I definitely appreciate that because I love kind of like that process because, um, a lot of it is, you know, like you said, based off of having that conversation and that interaction with the client. And I usually say a lot of these tools out there, um, that we have, whether it be like PR, web design, brand, whatever, you know, these aspects are, they're kind of tools that you can use to kind of increase that visibility. But just like you said, a lot of it comes down to, you know, I have a business, um, I'm really good at what I do, but I feel like I'm the only person that knows that I'm good at what I do. So how do I kind of make that happen?

Rio Rocket 06:51
Yeah, exactly. Um, it's, it's going to be a learning process. It's It's not something from day one that you'll know how to do. There's no book that can explain it. You have to go through it. You have to learn on the job and you'll learn how you communicate and how you interact with clients and how you address their needs. Um, it's, it's just, it's a relationship like anything else. You don't, you're not good at a relationship from day one unless it's that perfect match. You're, you have to kind of learn the other person.. So if you frame it that way, you'll be fine.

Gresham Harkless 07:26
Yeah, absolutely. That's a great thing to kind of keep in mind, especially with business owners that are thinking, how do they connect with their clients? How do they do that? And understanding that it isn't an overnight, um, process. It is just like you said, a relationship, and it does take time to develop, grow, nurture that, um, and, and develop that, that really strong connection. So you might have already touched on this, but I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. It could be you or, or your brand, but what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Rio Rocket 07:50
You know, I don't have anything that I identify as a secret sauce, but someone else may perceive something I'm doing as very unique. I'm not trying to be unique. If I'm perceived that way, I just am. And it comes from not trying. A lot of people, what does everyone do on social media? They copy someone else. You know, they post things that look similar to what other people have been doing, or they follow a trend, right? So if you follow trends, you'll always have to change who you are constantly. But if you really know who you are, you'll always be unique and you'll never have to change that aspect of yourself.

Gresham Harkless 08:33
Nice. I definitely appreciate that. And I think that you're so right. Cause I think especially with people that want to be successful, whether that be on social media or in business or in life or whatever, you know, aspect that they're trying to be successful in. A lot of times we will emulate each other. And I think that you're, you're absolutely right where that does take away from like who we are. I usually say this phrase where you can never lose if you run your own race. And I think so many, so many times we're trying to run somebody else's race when in reality, if we stay true to ourselves and we understand, you know, our gifts, our passions, what we do best, then it's hard to really lose or not have any type of success.

Rio Rocket 09:12
Exactly. Uh, you know, if you, if you try to be someone else, you're not going to be as good trying to be them as you would just being yourself. And so staying true to yourself, it sounds cliché, but it actually is the most important thing when it comes to branding, when it comes to setting yourself apart. What sets you apart most are the things you alrea

IAM2767 – Digital Marketer Brings a Unique Approach to SEM

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 06:16:29 -0400

Ryan Baker is the founder of Kingly Consulting.

Kingly Consulting was founded to help SEO Focused Digital Marketing Agencies improve their PPC services. He has had the privilege of working with a lot of agencies and loves the energy and the people in that world.

As a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), Ryan brings a unique approach to the SEM side of digital marketing. He loves helping to shift the focus of agencies and their clients from the shorter-term numbers games to the long-term human-centric approach.

Ryan enjoys long-standing relationships with his clients and thrives on under-promising and over-delivering. Outside of work, he has a beautiful wife and two adorable daughters. They enjoy spending time with their church family, traveling and exploring, drinking coffee, playing music, and board games.

CEO Hack: Audible
CEO Nugget: Focus on people and understand them
CEO Defined: A father of a family

Website: https://kinglyconsulting.com/home

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kinglyconsulting/

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam456-digital-marketer-brings-a-unique-approach-to-sem/

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Transcription:

Ryan Baker 00:00
probably the best advice is focus on people, understand people, what they want, how they communicate, how they express their needs, fears, dreams, how they think. Understanding people and the relationship between people is really going to help you more than anything else. I mean, in the business world, it's all, I mean, there's no difference between the business world and the quote unquote real world. You're always dealing with people. You're always dealing with relationships of some sort. If you understand how people and relationships work, you understand how things work in the business world and how things work outside of the business world. And it just makes everything so much better.

Gresham Harkless 01:08
Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I Am CEO Podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Ryan Baker of Kingly Consulting. Ryan, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Ryan Baker 01:16
It's great to be here, Gresh. Appreciate your time.

Gresham Harkless 01:18
No problem. Appreciate you. And what I want to do is just read a little bit more about Ryan so we can hear about all the awesome things that he's doing. And Ryan Baker is the CEO of Kingly Consulting and the founder. And Kingly Consulting was founded to help SEO-focused digital marketing agencies improve their PPC services. He's had the privilege of working with a lot of agencies and he loves the energy and the people in the world. As a certified customer experience professional, he brings a unique approach to the SEM side of digital marketing. He loves helping to shift the focus of agencies and their clients from the short-term numbers game to the long-term human-centric approach. He enjoys longstanding relationships with his clients and thrives on underpromising and overdelivering. Outside of work, he has a beautiful wife and two adorable daughters. He enjoys spending time with their, their family at church, traveling and exploring, drinking coffee, playing music, and of course board games. Brian, are you ready to speak to the I Am CEO community?

Ryan Baker 02:06
I am ready.

Gresham Harkless 02:07
Awesome. Let's do it. So to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. What led you to get started with the business?

Ryan Baker 02:13
Yeah. So man, for the better part of the last decade, I just had this dream of freedom. I was working your standard, you know, relatively young person jobs and just kind of not really moving anywhere. I didn't have a goal or a vision, but I heard about people starting online businesses. So I started kind of studying that idea, you know, the strategy, the marketing, the culture, anything I could get my hands on, and just trying to pursue this dream of, you know, freedom, whatever that looks like for me. And in those different jobs that I was working as I was studying all of that, I, I really gained a lot of experience in leadership and marketing and all the things I was studying, kind of getting some hands-on, real-world experience with it. And it kind of led me toward the digital marketing agency environment. So my last job I worked at was at a digital marketing agency, phenomenal agency, one of the top agencies in the world, great, great people.. And I managed to gain some consulting experience there. Just one of the owners was supposed to consult with somebody and couldn't make it in and asked me to jump in instead. And of course I was honored, but jumped in and just fell in love with it. Really felt fulfilled to be able to share my knowledge and experience that I had learned over the years with this team of people. And so I'm, you know, went on and I ended up leaving that job, but jumped immediately into consulting. 2 weeks later, started working with a local digital marketing agency and just never looked back.

Gresham Harkless 03:54
Nice. Well, I definitely appreciate that. It sounds like you've had kind of had that opportunity to be that, I guess, the entrepreneur by, you know, having that work with the agency and then being able to kind of, I guess, your feet wet and then start to plant the seeds for your business. Oh yeah, definitely.

Ryan Baker 04:08
Nice.

Gresham Harkless 04:08
So I know I touched on it a little bit, but I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper here, a little bit more about how you're serving the clients and what you're doing to support them. Yeah.

Ryan Baker 04:16
So providing growth strategy consulting really to digital marketing agencies. Generally, the agencies I work with, they have a really strong SEO service. Their, their SEM or PPC is pretty weak. A lot of times they'll reach out to me if they're starting to lose their SEO clients because they're PPC, you know, whether it be like Google Ads or Facebook Ads or something like that, it's just not up to spec. It's not delivering the results that they expect. And so what a lot of people do here is, is just kind of focus on improving the performance of the campaigns. And that's generally what you need to do to start. So I'll usually perform an audit of their PPC, you know, like an account that's not doing well. But generally after that, I go in and focus on a much more comprehensive solution. So, you know, look at the people involved, look at the processes that they're following, if there are any, a lot of times there aren't, and just really address super important things like communication with the client and inter-agency communication and just kind of fine-tune or even create sometimes new ways that they can approach this service that delivers more value to the client. More efficiently for the agency.

Gresham Harkless 05:35
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. And I think a lot of times, you know, it sounds like some of it might be those kind of soft skills, I guess you can say, where, you know, you're trying to figure out how best to communicate and you're also bringing on a new, or maybe not even bringing on a new, I guess you, from what it sounds like, you're actually perfecting it or making it better, um, that offering that they're providing so that they can continue to provide value on the SEO side, but also have another kind of stream of revenue or service offering.

Ryan Baker 05:57
Nailed it.

Gresham Harkless 05:58
Yep. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, I definitely appreciate that because I think in this day and age, it seems like from a digital marketing perspective, nothing is kind of really siloed. It's all kind of integrated. So to be able to provide both sides of the coin, I guess you could say, then that definitely provides value, of course, to the overall target client, which they're trying to help improve.

Ryan Baker 06:16
Oh yeah. Yeah. It's all related. And if one part of it is suffering, it's just like, you know, whittling the legs of a table down, you know, you got to have them all the same length, got to have them all the same strength.

Gresham Harkless 06:28
Exactly. So that you make sure the table doesn't fall over, which we, nobody ever wants. So, um, you might've already touched on this, but I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce and it could be for you or your organization, but what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Ryan Baker 06:41
Oh yeah. Well, it's, it's a little cliché. Um, but, uh, but a big part of what sets me apart is, is me. Um, I don't want that to sound arrogant or anything. It's just that with, with any business, um, especially consulting, you really, you can't replicate who a person is, their experience, their personality, their approach. You can replicate a lot of things, but a person and everything, all of the intricacies and nuances that make that person who they are, you just, you can't copy that. And as a consultant, really, that's part of what makes me unique. I'm also a certified customer experience professional. I was one of the first 1,000 in the world that is a certification put out by the, the Customer Experience Professionals Association. And it's kind of one of those things that's relatively new, but focuses a lot on standardizing the approach of improving and optimizing the experience a customer has when interacting with a business. And a lot of digital marketers tend to become CCXPs, as they're called, but not a lot of CCXPs go back into marketing. And so I have a very good friend that wrote the book on how to pass the exam, and he had me kind of beta testing his exam simulator actually. And I just kind of realized like, oh man, this resonates really strongly with me and my approach and who I am. So I just went ahead and got the certification. He was providing me with the tools to to study and pass, and it really meshes well with my overall message and philosophy.

Gresham Harkless 08:25
Yeah, that makes so much sense. And I definitely, you know, appreciate you sharing that. And I was going to, you know, wonder and ask you that if, you know, largely because especially with consulting businesses, a lot of it is just tapping into the expertise of the person and all the experiences that they have. So that definitely, you know, makes perfect sense as far as your secret sauce. And I like too that you, you know, you talked about the CCXP, but also that, you know, I think a lot of times when we look at businesses and we look at organizations, we kind of forget that human-centric approach. Approach, um, that I kind of touched on when I was reading your bio, but that a lot of times we forget the customer, we forget, you know, the, the human aspect of it. And we get so caught up sometimes in algorithms and all those things that we forget the human aspect.

Ryan Baker 09:02
Yeah, it's the foundation of everything, man.

Gresham Harkless 09:04
Absolutely. Absolutely. So I wanted to, uh, switch gears a little bit and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

Ryan Baker 09:13
Yeah, well, man, um, so I know that this has probably been used over and over and over again, but But Audible is just so great. I have consumed a ridiculous amount of volume in audiobook. I love listening in the car, you know, when I'm driving and otherwise would just be, you know, angry at other drivers not using the turn signals or whatever, you know, walks, flights, just whenever I have time. A lot of times I'll listen to, you know, all of these nonfiction books that are just dumping all this great information into my head, but I like to mix it up and toss in like a fiction book every now and then. Like a fantasy novel read by Michael Kramer or something. Just really helps to let your mind turn off and then let your subconscious start to work through all of the information you've been processing. And it makes it a lot more useful when you go to tackle new problems.

Gresham Harkless 10:07
Absolutely. Absolutely. So now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. So this is a word of wisdom or a piece of advice, or if you could hop into a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?

Ryan Baker 10:17
Oh man, way too much to fit in this episode. I think probably the best advice is focus on people, understand people, what they want, how they communicate, how they express their needs, fears, dreams, how they think. Understanding people and the relationship between people is really going to help you more than anything else. I mean, it's in the business world. It's all, I mean, there's no difference between the business world and the quote unquote real world. You're always dealing with people. You're always dealing with relationships of some sort. If you understand how people and relationships work, you understand how things work in the business world and how things work outside of the business world. And it just makes everything so much better.

Gresham Harkless 11:06
Absolutely.

Ryan Baker 11:06
Yeah.

Gresham Harkless 11:06
And just as we kind of touched on earlier, you know, you're, we're in the relationship business, no matter what business you're in, whether you're doing construction business or you're an agency or, you know, you're an accountant, whatever, those are, you know, you, you have to kind of, you, you should always strive, I should say, towards mastering the people, towards understanding, you know, what makes people tick, their motivations, uh, their fears, things like that. It will only help you kind of in the long run, 'cause we're always gonna be around people. Oh yeah. And, um, now I wanted to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're hoping to have different quote unquote CEOs on this show. So Ryan, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Ryan Baker 11:39
Yeah. Well, man, um, so common misconception is that, you know, every business owner is the CEO. And while I get that idea, generally a CEO is going to be someone that has employees, usually multiple levels of employees. So you've got, you know, upper management, middle management, you know, and entry-level employees. So generally a CEO is someone that is like the parent of a family. Responsible for the lives and the well-being of this group, you know, and in business, you're not necessarily responsible for their lives and whether they, you know, are eating or not. But, but, you know, everybody has their own goals and dreams in the organization. And your responsibility is to make sure that everyone is aligned on the same focus, the same goals and dreams, and that everyone has everything they need, that they're well taken care of, that they're all getting belong, that they feel safe, you're empowering them, encouraging them, and ultimately just directing them toward the vision that, that you cast as the, as the leader of the company. So, really for me, it's, it's very similar to being a father. Nice.

Gresham Harkless 12:53
That makes perfect sense. And I appreciate that metaphor just because I think a lot of times, you know, you forget those aspects. And again, going back to what we talked about a couple of times, you know, that people-centric aspect of understanding that each person that's on the ship or on the team, you know, has their different goals and aspirations and kind of being able to kind of tap into that and understand that on an even deeper level, you know, it allows you to be able to, to make sure you're charting the course towards exactly where everybody wants to be and you are all on the same page, as you said.

Ryan Baker 13:19
Yeah.

Gresham Harkless 13:20
Yeah. Well put.

Ryan Baker 13:21
Nice.

Gresham Harkless 13:21
Well, I, I definitely appreciate you, Ryan. I appreciate all the awesome things you're doing. What I wanted to do was pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you, you can let our readers and listeners know. And then of course, how best people can get ahold of you and find out about all the awesome things you're working on.

Ryan Baker 13:34
Yeah. Well, I would just, uh, encourage all of the, uh, the entrepreneurs out there, um, Man, it's a dream I had for the longest time to be self-employed. And I actually tried several years ago to start a video production company. It was a passion of mine and I just bombed completely. No, I'd just been married. My wife quit her job a few months in and I was like, I'm going to be self-employed. And I just, I had no focus on anything that would produce short-term results. I was doing a great long game, building some great relationships, but I had no self-worth, no concept of self-worth, no confidence in myself. And so I would just encourage all of the entrepreneurs out there, confidence, self-respect, self-worth is just one of the biggest parts of being able to succeed in starting your own business, in being a leader even. You know, if you're not confident in who you are, you don't respect who you are, you don't have any any concept of self-worth, you're really going to struggle to lead other people and help foster that in them. You're going to struggle to sell anything, as I discovered in that first attempt. And it really, really is essential that you focus on introspectively taking inventory of your life and your emotions and your opinion of yourself and make sure that you really Um, really take care of yourself and, um, really understand your worth and your value as a human.

Gresham Harkless 15:08
Yeah, that's absolutely huge just because I think it's, uh, a lot of times, you know, we're so externally focused on different things that we kind of forget to do that inner work. And that inner work is, first of all, you know, having that self-awareness and understanding who you are. But definitely, you know, as you said as well too, is just understanding and having that value in yourself. Because I think sometimes, you know, especially when you're starting a business, we can suffer from, you know, imposter syndrome and we think that we aren't of value or we don't know how to do enough. But a lot of times, We are of more value than we, we sometimes give us, give ourselves credit for. And we need to make sure that we communicate that when we're asking for, you know, a certain price, whatever services we're providing and, and even presenting ourselves on, on an even deeper level. So I, I think when we make sure that we have done that work and we are aware of that, um, then I think that that can help increase the likelihood of us being successful.

Ryan Baker 15:52
Yep, definitely.

Gresham Harkless 15:54
Nice. Well, that's awesome. Awesome. Um, kind of closing, closing, um, argument, so to speak. And, uh, people that want to reach out to you, find out about all the awesome things you're doing, what's the best way for them to do that?

Ryan Baker 16:04
Oh man. Well, find me on my site, kinglyconsulting.com, K-I-N-G-L-Y. You can put an E in there, it'll forward. But yeah, you can reach out, ryan@kinglyconsulting.com, shoot me an email. Love to chat with anybody. I like to just encourage young entrepreneurs

IAM2766 – The Strategic Advantage of an Intentional Mindset

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:16:08 -0500

The Architecture of Intentional Thinking

While many founders attribute success to external strategies or systems, the true foundation of a resilient organization is the mindset established at the start of each day. Successful leaders recognize that without an intentional starting point, the day—and its inevitable “fires”—will control the executive rather than the other way around. By prioritizing internal direction before external demands like email or meetings, a founder ensures they are leading with clarity rather than merely reacting to a mounting to-do list.

Mindset as a Leadership System

Establishing a morning mindset is not merely a personal ritual; it is a critical leadership system that dictates how a founder solves problems and serves customers. Anchoring the day in a specific word or scripture creates a grounded baseline for executive decision-making. This systematic approach to thinking allows a builder to remain creative, flexible, and resilient even when navigating the inherent uncertainties of business growth.

Engineering Success from Within

The definitive insight for sustainable leadership is the realization that success begins in the mind long before it manifests in the business. Founders are encouraged to identify a single word or phrase to embody each day, serving as a guiding compass for every subsequent action and decision. By implementing this founder-level system, a leader gains a quiet but powerful advantage, ensuring that strategic direction is set before the daily distractions of the marketplace emerge.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2765-the-importance-of-the-people-systems-and-why-ignoring-it-is-slowing-your-business-down/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
Most founders think success is about strategy, systems, or scale, but the real foundation is something far more personal. The mindset you start your day with.

If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I AM CEO Podcast. I'm Gresh, and for over a decade, I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners, just like you on How to Build. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, one thing has become clear: success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose. Even when you feel the journey should be a straight and linear path, what I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share, drawn from thousands of the episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately. So be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless [00:01:33]:
Most founders think success is about strategy, systems, or scale, but the real foundation is something far more personal. The mindset you start your day with. On episode number 1 of the IMCO Podcast, I had my mom, Kathy, on the show. She's the founder of an embroidery company and shared a simple but powerful practice that has changed everything for her. She starts every day with the daily word. Think about it. Before email, before meetings, before planning, before grabbing your smartphone, she spends intentional time anchoring her thinking around a word or a scripture that sets the tone for the entire day. What this means is that she's not reacting to the to-do list. She's leading with clarity. For builders that are working in the business, this matters more than we actually realize. Without an intentionality to the day, a starting point, the day controls you instead of the other way around. And as I like to joke, entrepreneurs, CEOs, business owners, any type of leader, you're part-time firefighter. You're constantly putting out those fires. Which makes it all the more important to make sure you're anchoring yourself in that beginning of the day. Kathy, my mom, doesn't treat this as a personal ritual. She treats it as a leadership system. By grounding herself first, she stays creative, flexible, and resilient even while navigating uncertainty and growth. That mindset carries into how she serves her customers, how she solves problems, how she shows up as a founder. So here's something for you to apply today. Ask yourself this question: What is the single word or phrase that you want to embody that will shape how you lead, create, and make decisions? Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it guide your actions. This is not just a morning habit. That's a founder-level system that sets direction before distractions begin to show up. And they will. Show up.This insight comes from episode 1 of the I Am CEO podcast with my mom, Kathy Harkless, where we explored how intentional mindset creates a quiet but powerful leadership advantage. Success will start in your mind long before it shows up in your business.

The post IAM2766 – The Strategic Advantage of an Intentional Mindset appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2765 – The Importance of the people Systems and Why Ignoring It Is Slowing Your Business Down

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 06:16:15 -0500

The Blind Spot of Technical Leadership

Most business builders prioritize tools, tactics, and execution while inadvertently ignoring the one system that influences every outcome: human behavior. This blind spot often results in stagnant growth, as leaders frequently design their organizations like machines without accounting for the fact that they are run by humans. When communication feels strained or team execution fails to meet expectations, the underlying issue is rarely a lack of effort; rather, it is a failure to account for psychology, emotions, and perception within the business model.

Engineering Intentional People Systems

The solution to organizational friction is not more management, but rather the implementation of intentional people systems. High-performing organizations treat human dynamics as a core component of the business model instead of a “soft” afterthought. This strategic shift requires leaders to diagnose behavioral friction—such as trust gaps and communication patterns—before prescribing solutions. By aligning wellness with performance and replacing rigid command chains with feedback loops, CEOs can directly improve decision-making quality and execution speed.

From Reaction to Behavioral Design

The definitive insight for sustainable growth is that healthy people build healthy companies. A primary cause of frustration for both founders and teams is the expectation of behaviors that have never been clearly defined or reinforced. By identifying these gaps, a leader moves from a state of constant reaction to one of intentional design. Ultimately, builders do not necessarily need to work harder; they need to build more robust systems that fully integrate people systems into their operational infrastructure.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2764-the-importance-of-building-systems-to-avoid-burnout/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
Most builders obsess over tools, tactics, and execution, but they ignore one system that affects everything: human behavior. That blind spot quietly caps your growth. As I often like to say, you can't forget about the human part of business, and frankly, the human part of life.

Gresham Harkless 01:41
Most builders obsess over tools, tactics, and execution, but they ignore one system that affects everything. Human behavior. That blind spot quietly caps your growth. As I often like to say, you can't forget about the human part of business and frankly, the human part of life. Now, if you're working with business in the everyday, this might sound very, very familiar. Your team isn't executing the way that you expected. Communication feels off, but you can't pinpoint why. Culture problems only show up after results start slipping. In episode number 002 of our IMCO podcast, I spoke with Dr. Alexis Moreno and she broke down a core issue most founders actually miss. Businesses are designed like machines, but they're actually run by humans. Here's what happens. Businesses and leaders often will build their business ignoring psychology, emotions, perception, and at the end of the day, they start blaming effort instead of the the environment and people instead of the actual systems that are in place. This creates honestly frustration on both sides, leader and the founder, but also the people that are on the team as well too. And the solution that Dr. Alexis and I kind of touched on during this conversation in episode number 2 isn't about better management. It's intentional people systems. Dr. Moreno explains that high-performing teams and organizations treat human dynamics as part of the business model, not a soft afterthought that just needs to be checked off in a, like, a box. This honestly starts with diagnosing before prescribing. Instead of assuming what's broken, assess communication patterns, trust gaps, and behavioral friction. After that, design feedback loops instead of communication command chains. People perform better when they understand they're not just being directed. And last but not least, align wellness with performance. Mental clarity, emotional health, and motivation directly affect decision-making and execution speed as well. The insight from episode 2 is simple, but it's really powerful. Healthy people build healthy companies. And here's one exercise you can kind of work on. Ask yourself this question: What behavior do I expect from my team that I've never clearly defined or clearly reinforced. If it isn't clear to them, it isn't fair to expect it. That single shift moves you from reaction to design, from frustration to actual leadership. You have to check out more of this episode with Dr. Alexis Moreno. We delved into the psychology, the wellness, leadership interests inside of real businesses and how you can unlock that within your leadership. At the end of the day, builders don't need to work harder. Often, They need to build better systems and include people systems in those very systems.

The post IAM2765 – The Importance of the people Systems and Why Ignoring It Is Slowing Your Business Down appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2764 – The Importance of Building Systems to Avoid Burnout

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:16:24 -0500

The Fallacy of Technical Effort

A common misconception among entrepreneurs is that success is purely a product of effort and personal skill. In reality, most business owners do not fail because they lack talent; they fail because they become trapped within the operational layers of their own organization. Working in the business—performing the daily technical tasks—is a fundamentally different discipline than working on the business, which involves strategic oversight and planning.

The Architect vs. The Builder

To achieve true scalability, a leader must transition from being a “builder”—the person hammering every nail—to being an “architect” who creates the blueprints and the overall plan. The reality of sustainable growth is that systems create freedom, not sheer exertion. By shifting focus toward the design of these blueprints, a CEO ensures that the infrastructure of the business can support growth without requiring their constant, manual intervention.

Engineering Business Autonomy

The definitive “CEO nugget” is the realization that if a business cannot function without the founder's presence, that individual does not own a business—they own a job. To prevent exhaustion and secure the long-term health of the organization, it is imperative to start building systems immediately before burnout occurs. Establishing these self-sustaining structures is the only way to move from a state of constant execution to one of strategic ownership.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2762-eliminating-marketing-guesswork-through-call-attribution/

Blue Star Franchise: bluestarfranchise.com
Browse the Franchise Inventory: bluestarfranchise.com/franchise
Is franchising right for you? Check this out to see: bluestarfranchise.com/assessment
Franchise CEO (A CBNation Site – coming soon) – franchiseceo.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
The reality is that systems create freedom, not effort. And here's the real CEO nugget: if your business cannot run without you, you don't own a business, you own a job. Start right now building systems before you ultimately burn out.

Gresham Harkless 01:40
Most entrepreneurs don't fail because they lack skills. They actually fail because they get trapped in the business, and that's one of the core Lessons of The E-Myth Revisited, one of my absolute favorite CEO hacks. Working in the business is very different from working on the business. That's how I differentiate from a builder who's working more in the business, is hammering the nails, versus an architect who's looking at the blueprints and created the overall plan and not hammering every single nail in. The reality is that systems create freedom, not effort. And here's the real CEO nugget. If your business cannot run without you, you don't own a business, you own a job. Start right now building systems before you ultimately burn out.

The post IAM2764 – The Importance of Building Systems to Avoid Burnout appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

IAM2763 – Podcast Booking Agency Owner Helps Entrepreneurs Share Their Knowledge and Expand Their Business

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:16:25 -0500

In this episode, Gresham Harkless welcomes Noemi Beres, the co-owner of Podcast Connections. Noemi co-founded the agency to help entrepreneurs and business owners enrich their lives through meaningful connections and podcast interviews, specifically supporting experts in sharing their knowledge with quality shows.

Noemi shares that her business is guided by the principle of heart-aligned leadership and the “small steps” approach. This belief drives Podcast Connections to provide a comprehensive, “done-for-you” service that manages everything from research and unique topic creation to refining call-to-actions, ensuring clients feel seen, heard, and valued through active listening.

Noemi credits her “secret sauce” to her intuitive ability to match people and her commitment to being a master organizer. Her key takeaway is that consistent effort and patience are vital, often utilizing analog time-blocking tools to maintain executive focus. She defines a CEO as a leader who looks after their people in a heart-aligned way so they can be trusted and relied upon.

Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Full Podcast Interview:

Full Audio Transcription:

Noemi Beres 00:00
My best advice is always just keep going and never give up. Just being consistent, whatever you're doing, and take the small steps approach because you don't have to do everything one day. Even if you are overwhelmed with your tasks or overwhelmed with your life, and I'm not just talking about business, but life, uh, in general.

Gresham Harkless 00:51
Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I Am CEO Podcast, and I have an awesome guest on the show today. I have Naomi Beres. Naomi, it's great to have you on the show.

Noemi Beres 01:00
Thank you so much, Gresh, for, you know, inviting me, uh, on the show today. I'm so honored to be here.

Gresham Harkless 01:06
Yeah, definitely. The pleasure is definitely all ours because you're doing so many phenomenal things, Naomi. And of course, before we do that, I want to read a little bit more about Naomi so we can hear about some of those awesome things. And Naomi is the co-owner of Podcast Connections, a podcast booking agency that helps entrepreneurs and business owners enrich their lives through meaningful connections and podcast interviews. She supports experts in sharing their knowledge and growing their business by connecting them with quality podcast shows. She began working in online marketing in 2007 and holds a master's degree in Danish literature and language. A linguist and content creator by training, Naomi is also known as a master organizer. In her free time, she enjoys making hand-sewn collages on canvas, playing the hang-in-frame drum, and walking as well too. And before jumping in and having this interview and of course connecting with Naomi. I did a little bit of homework and Naomi is awesome to, to say the very least. I, I wanna call her like a Renaissance woman because she has so many different interests and just so many different things that she's been involved in. I, I was listening and I, I feel like she, she said that she was an entrepreneur at heart, maybe because she was an only child. And that really stuck with me being an only child that yes, I do feel like we march to a different beat of our own drum as well too. But at the end of the day, I, I love everything they've been able to build. And I think they've been able to do this as being part of their COVID baby, something that came out during the pandemic and is doing really phenomenal things for herself and of course for the people that she works with. So Naomi, excited to have you on the show. Are you ready to speak to the I Am CEO community?

Noemi Beres 02:31
Absolutely. Let's do it, Gresh.

Gresham Harkless 02:33
Yes, absolutely. Let's get it started then. So to kind of kick everything off, I know I touched on a little bit, but I want to rewind the clock a little bit, hear a little bit more on how you got started, what I call your CEO story.

Noemi Beres 02:43
Yes. Um, as like for so many other entrepreneurs, my Just becoming an entrepreneur became kind of an accidental story. I was born and raised in Hungary, in Central Europe, then moved to Ireland in 2004. I started to work for a company and I wasn't so keen on having a boss. So after 3 years working there, I decided to become an entrepreneur. So we started our first company, which was an online travel-related business from 2007 up to 2020. Yeah, it was a very interesting wide journey because I didn't know anything about sales. I didn't know about marketing. You know, I was a linguist by trade, so I had nothing to do with it. But I had a passion for communication, for writing. So my work was mainly focused on social media marketing, online marketing, blogging. It was really, you know, back in the 2000s, it was very popular and travel writing. So that's what I did up till 2020. But as you said, the pandemic happened in 2020. So we had to pivot and that's how we ended up in the podcasting world and we started our own podcast booking agency called Podcast Connections and I became the co-founder of it and I love it because I met so many amazing people through my work across the globe. Although I live in Europe, I have made so many friends, business relationships over the pond in the US and in other countries that it's really exciting.

Gresham Harkless 04:25
Absolutely. So I know you touched on it a little bit, but I want to drill down a little bit more here, a little bit more on how Podcast Connections work, how you're making that impact and serving the clients that you work with.

Noemi Beres 04:35
Yes, that's a great question. Thank you, Agresh. So what we do, we provide our clients with a done-for-you service. So we basically do everything for them regarding podcast guesting. So doing the research, helping them to create their Bios, make their topics and topics more interesting, more unique to stand out when we pitch them. Also help them to figure out their call to actions because for some clients, they are not super clear about what to say after a podcast interview or at the end of the podcast interview, what to promote. So we go through everything step by step. We hold their hands as they do their podcast interviews. So yeah, it's, it's It's a very complex work, but I really enjoy that because I can help, uh, these guests become, you know, more confident and even just, just better. And, and it's just easier for them to share their knowledge and share their stories on, on amazing podcasts like yours.

Gresham Harkless 05:38
I almost wonder if that's part of what I like to call your secret sauce. It could be for yourself, the business, or a combination of both, but do you feel like you have this ability to be able to kind of see the forest for the trees, be able to understand exactly like what needs to be done or what somebody's saying and they're not maybe getting it outright. Do you feel like you have a talent and ability and a superpower to be able to kind of understand and synthesize that stuff for other people?

Noemi Beres 06:01
I think we all do have superpowers, not just like us, me doing this, but absolutely, I think, and just being intuitive when it comes to matching people. It's also, I think it's important to feel And to get to know them and to listen to them. There's not a huge superpower, just active listening. So when I have the first conversations with my clients, I don't talk much. And it's interesting because they want to know everything about me, but I try to direct the conversation on them. So I get as much information about them as possible because that's how I know anything or like that's how I can help them. So if we just talk about ourselves, I mean, that won't help. So I think active listening, like learning active listening, it's crucial in business. And it also shows that you care for your clients because they feel seen, heard, and valued when you listen to people. You make them the center of the attention. And I think that's a big thing. And people open up easier and easily and in so many ways when you just listen to them.

Gresham Harkless 07:14
I wanted to switch gears a little bit and I wanna ask you for what I call a CEO hack. You might have already touched on this, but this could be an app, a book, or even a habit that you have. What's something you lean on that makes you more effective and efficient?

Noemi Beres 07:25
What I realize that my attention span can, yeah, it's really reduced and it can be disturbed by everything like LinkedIn and, and notifications, which I try to like silence everything around me, but still, uh, Distractions are, you know, they do appear in our lives and it can disturb our work and everything. So what I did, I actually bought a small clock. It's like, I'm going to show it to you from my tab. So this is the clock and that's all you need. So I just, you can put it on 10, 15, 30 minutes or whatever. So I'm using time blocks, but I'm not using my phone. I'm not using an app. I know there are plenty online. But I just went back to this analog version. So it's like, okay, let's do 10 minutes this, let's do 10 minutes that. And it's time blocking. And during that time, I solely focus on certain tasks. And I realized that, oh, this is working. This is amazing because now my attention is so much better and I can focus on things so much better than before because I saw that I was multitasking. Kind of all over the place, you know, responding on LinkedIn message or reply an email. It was just too much for me. Like even for your brain, like we are having like 60, 70, 80,000 thoughts per day. So let's just simplify things in our life. So an event analog and I bought a clock and let's do this. Like let's do time looking. I've been playing with the idea, but now I finally, I did it and I can see the results and I became more relaxed and calmer when working.

Gresham Harkless 09:12
Absolutely. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call a SEO nugget. You might have already touched on these as well too, but it could be something that, you know, you might give as advice to your favorite client. It could be a piece of wisdom or something that you might tell your younger business self if you were to hop into a time machine.

Noemi Beres 09

IAM2762 – Eliminating Marketing Guesswork through Call Attribution

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:16:01 -0500

Moving Beyond Digital Guesswork

Operating a business without knowing the origin of incoming calls forces leadership into a state of constant guesswork. Call tracking serves as a strategic intervention that removes this uncertainty by identifying exactly which marketing channels are responsible for driving high-value customer interactions. By implementing these systems, an organization can stop speculating on its reach and begin focusing on the specific funnels that generate results.

Prioritizing Conversations Over Vanity Metrics

In a sophisticated marketing ecosystem, success is defined by meaningful engagement rather than superficial metrics like clicks or impressions. While attention is a necessary starting point, the true indicator of business health is the volume of “valuable, valuable” conversations initiated. High-performing CEOs understand that tracking these conversations is the only way to distinguish between general audience interest and actual market demand.

Engineering Focus through Actionable Data

The essential “CEO nugget” for marketing efficiency is to prioritize tracking what leads to direct action rather than what merely captures attention. While the abundance of data in digital marketing is a significant advantage, it should be used as a tool to sharpen organizational focus rather than create overwhelming complexity. By utilizing call tracking data, leaders can pinpoint where to invest resources to ensure every marketing dollar is driving a tangible business outcome.

Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2758-the-one-paragraph-business-plan-the-importance-of-fully-understanding-your-business/

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Transcription:

Gresham Harkless 00:00
If you don't know where your calls are coming from, you're guessing. And if you haven't heard of it, there's something that's called call tracking. What it does is it removes that guesswork. When set up well, it can actually show you which marketing channels actually drive those valuable, valuable conversations.

If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm Gresh, and for over a decade, I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, one thing has become clear: success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose, even if —when we feel the journey should be a straight and linear path, what I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share, drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately. So be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 01:40
If you don't know where your calls are coming from, you're guessing. And if you haven't heard of it, there's something that's called call tracking. What it does is it removes that guesswork. When set up well, it can actually show you which marketing channels actually drive those valuable, valuable conversations. It's not about clicks. It's not about impressions. It's about conversation. That's what truly matters. And here's the CEO nugget: track what leads to action, not just attention. One of the beautiful parts around digital marketing is you get data. And that data should tell you where to focus and not overwhelm you into many different things that you should be doing.

The post IAM2762 – Eliminating Marketing Guesswork through Call Attribution appeared first on I AM CEO Podcast.

Hidden Marketing Costs That Hurt Small Business Growth

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:16:40 -0500

Growth can still feel uneven where marketing is invested consistently. The challenge most small businesses face often isn’t the willingness to spend — it’s the hidden marketing costs quietly affecting efficiency, margin, and momentum.

Ad budgets are easy to track. Software subscriptions and retainers are clear line items.

What’s less visible are the structural gaps beneath the surface — positioning that lacks clarity, messaging that doesn’t fully connect, or systems that aren’t aligned. Over time, these inefficiencies make marketing feel heavier than it should.

When marketing feels active, but growth feels unpredictable, the issue is usually alignment rather than effort.

The Real Cost of “Doing Marketing”

Marketing becomes expensive when activity outpaces strategy.

Posting consistently without defined positioning builds visibility, but not always demand. Running ads without clear conversion benchmarks generates data, but not necessarily direction. Hiring support without measurable outcomes creates movement, yet limited momentum.

The visible spend tells only part of the story.

The deeper cost often lies in inefficiency — longer sales cycles, lower conversion rates, and missed opportunities to position more strongly.

When structure improves, spend becomes more productive.

The Hidden Drains on Growth

Several patterns tend to create hidden marketing costs within growing businesses:

1. Expanding Tactics Without Strategic Clarity

New platforms and tools offer opportunity, but without a clear foundation such as audience definition, value proposition, and messaging hierarchy, marketing efforts can feel scattered.

A strong strategy ensures every tactic reinforces the same narrative and builds cumulative impact.

2. Generating Leads Without Clear Qualification

Lead generation is valuable when it aligns with the right audience.

If targeting is broad or messaging is unclear, teams spend additional time nurturing prospects who may not be ideal fits. Refining qualification criteria improves both efficiency and revenue velocity.

3. Relying on Price to Drive Decisions

When differentiation is subtle, pricing becomes the main lever.

Stronger positioning allows businesses to compete on value instead of discounts, preserving margin and strengthening long-term growth capacity.

4. Inconsistent Messaging Across Channels

Consistency builds trust.

When website copy, advertising, and sales conversations reinforce the same message, prospects gain clarity more quickly. Alignment across channels reduces friction and improves conversion performance.

5. Investing Time in Non-Compounding Efforts

Marketing performs best when it builds assets like refined messaging, optimized funnels, and high-performing campaigns.

Activities that operate in isolation may create short bursts of activity but structured systems create sustained results. Go for the latter.

Where Budgets Quietly Lose Efficiency

Even well-funded marketing initiatives benefit from tighter integration.

Activity Without Revenue-Based Benchmarks

Tracking the right indicators supports better decisions. While visibility metrics are helpful indicators, sustainable growth often depends on deeper performance markers such as cost per acquisition, customer lifetime value, and pipeline progression.

Partnerships Without Defined Outcomes

What problem is being solved? How will success be measured and how will adjustments be made when performance shift? External partners can significantly accelerate growth when success is clearly defined from the start.

Agreed performance benchmarks, timelines, and accountability structures can drive impact beyond activity. Clear scope, decision-making frameworks, and defined revenue expectations ensure that effort translates into measurable progress.

Marketing and Sales Operating Separately

When marketing and sales share common definitions of qualified opportunities and success metrics, performance improves across both teams.

Shared definitions of qualified opportunities, aligned messaging, and integrated reporting systems reduce friction across the customer journey. When both teams understand the target audience, positioning, and conversion goals, the handoff from lead to client becomes more seamless.

Regular communication between departments also reveals valuable insights — objections heard in sales conversations can refine messaging, while marketing data can help sales prioritize higher-intent prospects.

Rebuilding Marketing Around Efficiency

Reducing hidden marketing costs begins with clarity and structure.

Clarify Positioning Before Scaling Spend

Clear answers to foundational questions improve every marketing initiative:

Who is the ideal customer?

What specific challenge is being solved?

What differentiates the solution?

What measurable outcome is delivered?

When positioning is clear, campaigns perform more efficiently.

Build a Focused, Measurable System

An integrated marketing system connects awareness, consideration, and conversion.

This includes:

Defined customer journeys

Conversion-focused landing experiences

Unified messaging frameworks

Structured performance tracking

When these components work together, marketing investments produce stronger returns.

Prioritize Conversion Quality

Growth becomes more sustainable when attention shifts from volume to alignment.

High-fit prospects, shorter sales cycles, and stronger messaging create predictable revenue patterns and healthier margins.

A More Strategic Way to Think About Marketing

Marketing functions best as a growth engine supported by structure.

With strategic alignment, tactics reinforce each other. Clear positioning strengthens messaging while measurable systems support confident decision-making.

Many small businesses already invest a meaningful effort into marketing. Refining structure and alignment ensures that investment compounds over time.

Addressing hidden marketing costs strengthens profitability, improves clarity, and creates momentum that is easier to sustain.

Conclusion: Turn Marketing Into a Structured Growth Asset

Marketing becomes more predictable when it is structured intentionally.

The most impactful improvements often come from aligning positioning, messaging, systems, and measurement. Closing those gaps thus protects margin, strengthens conversion performance, and builds long-term resilience.

If you’re ready to transform marketing from scattered activity into a cohesive growth system, explore how strategy-led execution can elevate your results at Blue16 Media

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SEO vs PPC in 2026: Does SEO Still Work in the Age of AI?

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:16:57 -0500

For a long time, SEO vs PPC were easy to compare. SEO was about playing the long game, while PPC offered quick visibility for a price. That distinction still exists in 2026—but it’s no longer the full picture.

Search results look different with competition going higher. Ad costs continue to rise. And businesses are asking a more important question than ever: Where should I actually invest my time and money?

This article breaks down how SEO and PPC compare today, what has changed, and whether SEO still delivers real value.

Understanding SEO vs PPC in 2026

The Current Landscape of Digital Marketing

Search behavior has changed dramatically. Users expect faster answers, more relevant content, and seamless experiences.

Businesses must adapt their SEO strategies to stay visible in search results. Voice search and natural-language queries have grown in importance, and content now needs to match how people ask questions in real life.

Regardless of SEO or PPC, being prominently displayed in search results remains critical. High visibility drives traffic and conversions. Understanding user behavior and search engine updates is essential to maintain or grow visibility.

SEO vs PPC: Key Differences and Similarities

While both aim to drive traffic, their methods and timelines differ.

Choosing between SEO and PPC depends on the goals one has, resources, and timing.

Characteristic SEO PPC

Payment Structure Ongoing effort and optimization Budget for each click

Focus Organic search rankings Paid ad campaigns

Integrating SEO and PPC allows businesses to capture both organic and paid audiences. Paid campaigns can complement slower-building SEO results, while SEO sustains visibility over time.

The Role of AI in Digital Marketing

AI in SEO and PPC

AI affects how search engines understand content and user intent. It also helps automate ad bidding, optimize campaigns, and analyze performance trends.

Marketers using AI tools can make better decisions and target audiences more precisely.

AI content creation is another area where AI is making waves, offering the potential to generate high-quality, engaging content at scale.

Embracing AI in digital marketing is no longer optional; it’s a necessity for staying competitive and achieving optimal results in the age of AI.

AI Content Creation: Impacts on SEO Rankings

Creating content efficiently can help improve SEO, but quality and originality are still what matter most. Search engines favor content that provides real value, is well-written, and shows expertise.

Marketers should focus on producing engaging, informative content that aligns with what users are searching for. Balancing efficiency with a clear, unique voice is key to maintaining strong SEO performance.

Voice Search and Its Influence on SEO and PPC

Voice search is becoming increasingly important, affecting how people find information and how marketers optimize their strategies. To stay visible, content should answer common questions clearly, use natural, conversational language, and be easy for both users and devices to read.

For PPC, campaigns can target longer, conversational phrases that match how people speak. Adapting to voice search helps reach a growing audience and ensures content remains relevant in today’s search landscape.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of SEO in 2026

Does SEO Still Work in the Age of AI?

In 2026, SEO remains effective, but the approach has evolved. Focus on creating content that provides real value, answers user questions, and is structured for modern search behavior. Consistency and relevance matter more than ever.

Organic Search vs Paid Ads: What Should Marketers Focus On?

A balanced digital marketing strategy often uses both, leveraging their strengths for the best results: the key is knowing when to use each.

Strategy Benefits

PPC Quick wins and immediate visibility.

SEO Sustainable, long-term growth.

Technical SEO Considerations for Future Success

As we move towards 2026,

Optimize website speed and mobile-friendliness.

Use structured data to help search engines understand your content.

Ensure content is readable for both humans and automated search tools.

Ignoring technical SEO can hurt visibility, regardless of content quality.

Developing a Winning Digital Marketing Strategy

Integrating SEO and PPC for Maximum Visibility

A complete digital marketing strategy leverages SEO to improve organic rankings through optimized content and technical improvements, while PPC campaigns, like Google Ads, provide immediate visibility for specific keywords.

By combining the two, marketers can reach different segments of the audience, maximize results, and build a strategy that works both in the short and long term. The debate between SEO vs. PPC in 2026 is no longer about choosing one—using both strategically is the most effective approach.

Adapting to Algorithm and Behavior Changes

Search engines are continuously evolving, incorporating AI systems to better understand search intent and deliver relevant results. One significant shift is the rise of AI overviews and AI summaries, which alter how people search and find information.

Optimize for AI search by creating content that not only ranks well in organic search but also provides concise, informative answers for AI-driven summaries. The emergence of voice search also influences user behavior, necessitating optimization for natural language queries.

Future Trends in Digital Marketing and Their Implications

As AI visibility becomes more prominent, optimizing for AI-driven search results and AI answers will be crucial for staying visible in search results. The integration of AI in PPC campaigns will enable more precise targeting and automated optimization, enhancing campaign performance.

The rise of AI systems hasn’t changed Google’s need for revenue, and while SEO still works, using PPC for quick wins shouldn’t be discounted. The modern SEO landscape treats SEO, PPC, and AI hand-in-hand.

Blue16Media brings expertise in search engine optimization, social media marketing, and content marketing, helping to improve your online presence in the age of AI. We develop effective digital marketing strategies tailored to your business goals and help you stay ahead of the competition. Contact us today to drive results, optimize your marketing efforts, and ensure a successful new year campaign.

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How Content Marketing Generates Leads (Not Just Website Traffic)

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:16:32 -0500

For a long time, content marketing has been measured by one main metric: traffic. More page views, more clicks, more impressions. While traffic can signal visibility, it often creates a false sense of success. This is where content marketing lead generation shifts the focus—from simply attracting visitors to capturing genuine interest. A blog post can attract thousands of visitors and still fail to contribute anything meaningful to business growth because traffic shows who showed up. Leads show who is interested enough to take action.

The real power of content marketing lies not in attracting eyeballs, but in guiding the right audience toward conversion. When done strategically, content becomes a consistent lead-generation engine—not just a visibility tool.

Rather than focusing on direct sales, content builds trust through education and consistency.

Why Traffic Isn’t Enough

High traffic numbers don’t tell the full story. Page views alone don’t indicate intent, interest, or readiness to buy. Many businesses invest heavily in content that ranks well but attracts the wrong audience—or visitors who consume and leave without engaging further.

There are countless examples of blogs generating massive traffic with little to no impact on revenue. Viral posts, trend-based articles, or overly broad topics may bring visitors in, but without a clear next step, those visitors disappear.

That distinguishes between vanity metrics and conversion metrics. Vanity metrics include page views, likes, and shares. Conversion metrics focus on actions that move a visitor closer to becoming a customer—email signups, downloads, demo requests, or inquiries. Content that performs well should be evaluated by how effectively it drives these actions, not just how many people read it.

Content Formats That Drive Results

Different content formats serve different stages of the sales funnel.

I. Targeted Content for Specific Buyer Personas

Lead-driven content starts with clarity about who it’s for. When content speaks directly to a specific buyer persona—their challenges, goals, and questions—it feels relevant and valuable.

For example, a general blog post might attract broad interest, while a targeted guide, checklist, or webinar designed for a specific role or industry attracts qualified prospects.

Blog posts educate, downloadable resources capture contact information, and webinars allow deeper engagement. Each format plays a role when aligned with a defined audience.

II. Content Optimized for Intent

Some content answers questions, while other content supports decision-making. Informational content helps users understand a problem, while transactional or decision-focused content helps them choose a solution.

Aligning content with the buyer journey—awareness, consideration, and decision—significantly increases lead potential. Educational blog posts introduce problems.

Comparison guides, case studies, and solution-focused content support evaluation. When content meets users where they are, conversions happen more naturally.

III. Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Even the best content won’t generate leads without a clear next step. Calls-to-action guide visitors toward meaningful engagement.

Effective CTAs are visible, relevant, and aligned with the content itself. A blog post might invite readers to download a related guide, subscribe to a newsletter, or request a demo. CTA placement, design, and messaging matter—overly aggressive CTAs push users away, while helpful, well-timed CTAs encourage action.

IV. Content Gated Strategically

Gated content locked behind a high-value resource often plays a key role in lead generation when used thoughtfully.

Reports, templates, in-depth guides, and webinars tend to convert well because they offer clear value in exchange for contact information. Strategic gating ensures users perceive the exchange as fair, increasing both lead quantity and quality.

Measuring Content Success Beyond Traffic

Measuring content success requires looking beyond surface-level metrics and focusing on indicators that reveal real audience intent. Businesses should track metrics tied to action and progression within the funnel. Lead volume shows how many visitors are converting into contacts, while marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) indicate the quality of those leads based on predefined criteria such as engagement level, industry, or readiness to buy.

Conversion rates reveal how effectively content turns readers into leads, and assisted conversions highlight the supporting role content plays across multiple touchpoints in the customer journey.

Connecting content performance to lead outcomes requires the right tools and systems. Analytics platforms reveal how users interact with content, while CRM systems and marketing dashboards link those interactions to actual leads and revenue. This helps teams understand which content assets attract high-intent prospects and which ones underperform.

Just as important is analyzing where users drop off. If visitors consume content but fail to take the next step, it may signal unclear messaging, weak calls-to-action, or a mismatch between content and audience intent. Reviewing funnel behavior allows teams to refine CTAs, adjust content positioning, and improve alignment with the buyer’s journey.

Ultimately, content marketing success is built through continuous testing and optimization. High-performing content is rarely created on the first attempt. Instead, it evolves through ongoing analysis, experimentation, and refinement. When performance insights guide content decisions, marketing efforts become more strategic, efficient, and consistently focused on lead generation rather than traffic alone.

Best Practices for Lead-Focused Content Marketing

Lead-driven content performs best when mapped directly to the sales funnel. Each stage should have content designed to educate, nurture, or convert.

Personalization strengthens this process. Email follow-ups, retargeting campaigns, and segmented content help maintain momentum after the first interaction.

Integrating SEO, social distribution, and content strategy ensures that the right content reaches the right audience at the right time, maximizing lead capture opportunities.

Conclusion

Content marketing lead generation, when approached strategically, becomes a powerful system for attracting, engaging, and converting potential customers.

Rather than asking how much traffic content generates, businesses should ask how effectively it moves people toward action. Auditing content with a lead-first mindset reveals gaps, opportunities, and untapped potential.

The post How Content Marketing Generates Leads (Not Just Website Traffic) appeared first on .

New Year Marketing: How CEOs Should Set Effective Marketing Strategies to Drive Results

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:16:42 -0500

The dawn of a new year presents a unique opportunity for CEOs to reassess and invigorate their marketing strategies. In 2026, it’s crucial to understand that effective new year marketing strategies are not just about fleeting campaigns but about setting a course for sustained growth and competitive advantage.

A well-defined marketing plan is the backbone of any successful marketing initiative. CEOs should collaborate with their marketing team to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Key Metrics and KPIs for CEOs to Monitor

For CEOs, defining success in marketing requires a focus on key metrics and KPIs that directly align with business goals. These marketing goals, often expressed as KPIs or OKRs, should be data-driven, tracked using analytics, and regularly reviewed to ensure they remain aligned with overall strategic planning

What Metrics Matter?

It’s not enough to simply launch campaigns; CEOs need to understand which marketing efforts are actually driving revenue growth and increasing brand awareness. These metrics include;

1. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) – they provide a powerful framework for CEOs to set marketing goals and drive results.

2. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

3. Customer lifetime value (CLTV)

4. Return on ad spend (ROAS)

5. Website traffic, conversion rates, and social media engagement to gauge the effectiveness of marketing efforts.

6. Lead generation and sales funnel metrics to understand how new customers are moving through the buying process.

A data-driven approach, where metrics are carefully tracked using analytics is thus required to set goals. Analyze data-driven analytics to identify which marketing strategies are driving results and tailor your approach accordingly.

Collaborating with Your Marketing Team

Align Business Goals with Marketing Strategies

CEOs must ensure that all marketing strategies are tightly aligned with overarching business goals. This requires ongoing communication and collaboration with the marketing team to ensure that all marketing efforts are geared towards achieving measurable outcomes, such as revenue growth, increased market share, and enhanced brand awareness. This way, CEOs can set goals in accordance with industry trends.

Partner with the CMO in Strategy Development

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) plays a critical role in developing and executing effective new year marketing strategies. CEOs should empower their CMOs to drive results through innovative campaigns, data-driven decision-making, and a deep understanding of customer behavior. The CMO is responsible for crafting a marketing plan and ensuring the team follows the actionable steps.

Build a Cohesive Organization-wide Approach

Successful marketing requires a cohesive organization-wide approach, where all departments are aligned and working towards common business goals.

CEOs can foster this collaboration by promoting open communication, sharing data insights, and ensuring that all employees understand how their individual roles contribute to the overall success of marketing efforts.

Leverage LinkedIn for Effective Marketing

Engage Influencers on LinkedIn

Influencers on LinkedIn provide a unique opportunity to reach new customers and boost sales. By partnering with thought leaders in their industry, marketers can amplify their message, increase brand awareness, and build credibility among potential new clients.

This collaboration should align with the overall marketing plan, ensuring that the marketing efforts of influencers resonate with the target audience and align with business goals.

LinkedIn Analytics for Strategy Adjustment

Effective new year strategies demand a data-driven approach, and LinkedIn provides robust analytics to track performance.

CEOs should work with their marketing team to monitor key metrics and KPIs on LinkedIn, such as engagement rates, website traffic, and lead generation to identify what content creation resonates with the audience and tailor their approach accordingly.

These insights are crucial for strategic planning and ensuring that marketing efforts are optimized to drive results throughout 2026.

Best Practices for LinkedIn Marketing

Here are some key steps CEOs can take to elevate their LinkedIn game as we head into 2026. These include focusing on:

High-quality content creation: Share insights, industry news, and articles to position your company as an industry leader.

Active engagement: Respond to comments, join discussions, and share content creation from influencers.

Furthermore, don’t forget to utilize LinkedIn’s advertising tools to reach target demographics and achieve specific business goals.

The post New Year Marketing: How CEOs Should Set Effective Marketing Strategies to Drive Results appeared first on .

Chat#115 – Secrets to Building Generational Wealth Now

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:21:47 -0500

Discover the secrets to building generational wealth now with insights from Shona Bell of Beyond Freedom Financial, a certified public accountant and entrepreneur previous guest featured on the I AM CEO Podcast. In this episode, Shauna shares a powerful CEO Nugget about leveraging tax strategies, financial planning, and unique tools like creating your own family bank to grow wealth and establish a legacy. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, financial awareness, and intentional planning to achieve true financial freedom and impact future generations. Gresh and Shona talk about various ways that entrepreneurs can consider in building wealth like franchising and real estate.

This conversation ties directly into the Financial and Strategy pillars, offering actionable advice on how Builders can start creating wealth today—whether through strategic tax planning, leveraging life insurance for investments, or educating their families about wealth-building tools. Shauna’s journey highlights how entrepreneurs can balance freedom, family, and financial success while avoiding common pitfalls.

Why generational wealth starts with a decision, not a windfall

Building wealth that lasts for generations begins with clarity about purpose and intentional use of financial tools. Many entrepreneurs start businesses to gain freedom for family and time, but the day-to-day demands often push that original why out of focus. The difference between surviving and thriving is deliberate planning: tax strategy, financial planning, and the right capital structures.

From accountant to wealth architect

A certified public accountant who transitioned into entrepreneurship illustrates this path well. Initially providing CFO and tax work for business owners, she shifted toward tax strategy and formal financial planning to help clients convert hard-earned income into freedom—now and for future generations. The journey shows that technical expertise plus a wealth mindset creates leverage far beyond individual paychecks.

Three pillars that accelerate generational wealth

Use these three pillars together rather than in isolation:

Tax strategy — Minimize unnecessary tax drag so more of earned income becomes investable capital.

Financial planning — Consolidate retirement accounts, optimize insurance, and build repeatable funding sources.

Asset strategy — Deploy capital into vehicles that produce cash flow and can be replicated, such as franchises, certain real estate models, and private financing structures.

Reframing what people already have

Many owners don’t realize the assets they already control. Loose 401k accounts, scattered savings, and overlooked insurance structures are often predictable sources of funding if consolidated and repurposed. Awareness becomes a realization that unlocks options—rather than waiting to “have enough,” owners can organize what they already own to start growing wealth today.

The family bank: an often-missed funding strategy

One powerful structure discussed is the “family bank” concept. This typically uses permanent life insurance or cash-value policies that grow tax-advantaged cash value over time. Instead of borrowing from a bank at market rates, owners borrow from their own policy, set their own repayment terms, and continue to let the policy compound.

Key benefits of this approach:

Access to liquidity without qualifying for a traditional bank loan.

Continued cash value growth while loans are outstanding in many policy structures.

Death benefit protection that can serve legacy planning needs.

Franchising as a replicable route to multi-asset wealth

Franchises present a strategic way to own businesses that can scale without reinventing the operating model each time. For entrepreneurs who want businesses that can exist beyond the founder's daily presence, franchising offers a replicable system, established brand, and operational playbook. When combined with a private funding strategy like a family bank, entrepreneurs can reduce reliance on external lenders and capture more of the upside.

Common funding pitfalls and how to avoid them

External lending is a useful tool, but terms matter. Deferred-payment offers and promotional financing can sound attractive but create long-term interest burdens that erode profit. Before accepting funding:

Review repayment terms and total interest cost, not just monthly payments.

Run cash-flow scenarios to ensure payments do not choke operating profit.

Consider internal financing options such as borrowing against cash-value policies or converting dispersed retirement assets into a more controlled vehicle.

Mindset and money trauma: the psychological foundation

Money behaviors are often formed by early memories and family patterns. Those relationships shape risk tolerance, saving habits, and views on debt. Addressing money trauma and changing the financial atmosphere—what one reads, who one studies, and who one networks with—reshapes identity and expands possibility. Surrounding oneself with people who model the desired outcomes creates a new default for what is possible.

Practical 90-day plan to move from idea to action

For someone who wants to own a franchise or replicate an income-producing asset but believes funds are lacking:

Inventory current assets: list all retirement accounts, savings, life insurance, and small investments.

Talk with a tax strategist and financial planner to understand consolidation opportunities and tax consequences.

Explore the family bank option—determine the cost to establish and how soon it can provide borrowing capacity.

Vet franchise models and compare required startup capital, expected cash flow, and franchise support.

Run conservative cash-flow models that include loan repayment terms to ensure the business can sustain operations and return funds to the family bank.

“If something is in you, it is not a no. It is a not now.”

How planning creates true legacy

Legacy is more than an estate number. It is a set of repeatable, teachable financial habits and structures that can be passed down. When families intentionally build predictable funding sources, teach children about compound growth and stewardship, and document strategies, wealth becomes generational in both dollars and knowledge.

Resources and next steps

Practical resources to continue learning and to take action include foundational business and planning guides available on CEO Hack:

General business strategy and startup guidance: https://ceohack.co/business-plan/

Articles, interviews, and entrepreneurial insights: https://ceohack.co/blog/

Explore franchising suitability with an assessment: http://bluestarfranchise.com/assessment

Contact and planning conversations: https://ceohack.co/contact/

Additional learning and resource landing page: https://ceohack.co/landing/

FAQ

What is the “family bank” and how does it work?

The family bank uses a permanent life insurance policy or similar cash-value vehicle as a private source of financing. Policyholders build cash value through premiums, then borrow against that cash value for investments like franchises or real estate. Loans typically do not trigger immediate taxes, the policy can continue to grow in many designs while loans are outstanding, and repayment terms are set internally.

Can someone start a franchise without large personal savings?

Yes. Entrepreneurs often combine strategies: seller or franchisor financing, equipment loans, SBA loans, or private financing. Consolidating existing assets, using cash-value policy loans, and optimizing cash flow projections can reduce the need for large up-front personal savings. However, careful review of loan terms and cash-flow sensitivity is essential. You can always work with a franchise broker to help you find the best options.

How does tax strategy fit into generational wealth building?

Tax strategy preserves more of earned income so it can be reinvested. Proactive planning across entity structure, retirement account consolidation, and investment vehicles reduces tax leakage. Working with qualified tax strategists ensures entrepreneurs avoid paying more tax than necessary while staying compliant.

Is real estate the only route to generational wealth?

No. Real estate is a common and effective strategy, but it is not the only path. Franchises, private businesses, cash-value insurance structures, and repeatable private lending strategies can all generate durable wealth when combined with disciplined planning and the right legal and tax frameworks.

What should someone do first if they feel “not ready” to start building wealth?

Start with awareness. Inventory assets, consolidate scattered retirement accounts, and schedule a conversation with a trusted tax strategist or financial planner. Small, intentional steps compound. The important mindset shift is to treat “not ready” as a signal to explore and plan rather than a permanent refusal.

Closing thought

Generational wealth is less about a single overnight win and more about designing repeatable systems that convert earnings into assets and knowledge. When tax-smart choices, financial planning, and replicable business models like franchising come together, families can build lasting freedom and pass both capital and the know-how to future generations.

The post Chat#115 – Secrets to Building Generational Wealth Now appeared first on CEO Chat.

Chat#114 – Podcasting Secrets Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:50:57 -0500

Podcasting can be one of the most potent tools for entrepreneurs who want to become visible, share ideas, and lead their niche with authenticity. But it is not a quick marketing trick. It is a vehicle for thought leadership, self-exploration, and consistent communication—when done for the right reasons and with clear intention. Gresh and podcast host Nick McGowan host of The Podcast & Self Mastery Show chatted about this powerful medium and how you can leverage it as an entrepreneur or business owner.

Why Thought Leadership Starts with You

Thought leadership is not a title to chase. It is the byproduct of consistently sharing what you think about and what you care about in ways that make sense to you. Everyone’s version looks different—some people lead through writing, others through art, and many through conversation. For verbal communicators, podcasting is a natural fit.

“Thought leadership can look different for different people. It's really being the thought leader to what makes sense to you.”

Start by following breadcrumbs: small recurring interests, skills you enjoy exercising, and the types of conversations that light you up. Take inventory of the work you’ve done, the problems you enjoy solving, and the moments you felt most alive. Those breadcrumbs point to the themes you can own.

Practical exercises to find your voice

Write a list of five moments when you felt deeply engaged or fulfilled at work or personally.

Identify the common thread across those moments—problem solving, storytelling, teaching, analysis, etc.

Test topics in short formats (notes, micro-episodes, conversations) and notice which ones generate meaningful reactions.

Entrepreneurship Equals Hope—But Not for Everyone

Entrepreneurship is often an expression of hope and creative problem solving. For some people it is the right path; for others the best route is to be an exceptional team member in an existing organization. Either way, the more honest you are about why you want it, the better decisions you’ll make.

Before launching or doubling down, ask: Are you chasing prestige or money, or are you pursuing something that aligns with your inner values? That distinction matters because it determines whether you’ll burn out or build something sustainable.

Questions to ask yourself

Why do I want this? (Be brutally specific.)

What am I avoiding by chasing entrepreneurship?

What parts of the day energize me and which drain me?

Deep personal work—understanding subconscious strategies learned in childhood, confronting trauma, clarifying motivations—turns uncertainty into strategy. That internal alignment is what makes authentic content land with an audience.

Podcasting: The Right Tool for the Right Person

Podcasting is especially powerful if your best communication style is spoken conversation. But don’t force it. If you are a brilliant writer, a book or newsletter might serve you better first. The medium should match the messenger.

Two paths: Be a guest or host your own show

If you want to be a guest:

Lead with value: Explain why your topic matters to that audience.

Be specific: Offer clear takeaways the host can promise listeners.

Share references: Include past interviews or relevant work. If you’ve never been on a show, say so and explain why you still fit.

Leave selling out of the pitch: Hosts want conversations that benefit their listeners, not ad reads.

If you want to start a podcast:

Clarify your why: Purpose beats tactics every time.

Pick core topics: Define 2–3 buckets your show will consistently explore.

Design for evolution: Your show will change. Start, learn, iterate.

Invest in fundamentals: Good audio and distribution matter—but only after you know why you’re doing it.

Outreach template for podcast guest requests

One-line hook: who you are and the single topic you want to cover.

Why it matters to their audience: the specific value you bring.

Reference: link to past interview or short clip, or a concise case study.

Availability and a clear closing: “I’d love 30 minutes on [date range].”

Tools and resources that make podcasting easier

Use tools that match your workflow. Here are practical resources to save time and increase reach:

Recording and remote interviews: Riverside.fm, SquadCast

Editing and repurposing: Descript, Repurpose.io, Vizard.ai

Transcription and show notes: Otter.ai, Transcript LOL

Hosting and distribution: Podbean, Blubrry, Spotify for Podcasters

Website and discoverability: Podcastpage

Promotion and clips: Headliner, Repurpose.io

For a beginner-friendly guide on launching an SEO-friendly podcast website, see the podcast landing resource: https://ceohack.co/landing/podcastpage/

Mindset and mastery: the long game

Self-awareness is the competitive advantage. Podcasting forces you to think clearly, ask better questions, and refine the ideas you want to share. The two most important pieces are:

Keep going: Progress is made by persistent, imperfect action.

Do the inner work: The clearer you are about your motives, the more authentic your message becomes.

“If I'm going to be here, I'm going to be here. Suicide's off the table. So if I can't take myself out of the game, might as well play the game. But I'm going to play the game my way.”

That candor is a reminder: visible work and inner work go hand in hand. The more you heal and clarify your purpose, the better your content will connect. Purpose is communal in effect but personal in origin: your role might simply be to be the best version of yourself in your corner of the world.

Getting started checklist

Define your why and 2–3 core topics.

Test short conversations or micro-episodes to validate interest.

Choose recording tools that fit your budget and technical comfort.

Create a simple outreach template for guest appearances.

Set a modest publishing cadence and commit to three months of consistent episodes.

Further reading and practical resources

For tools, guides, and templates that help entrepreneurs produce, distribute, and repurpose podcast content, explore these pages:

Repurpose content distribution: https://ceohack.co/directory/repurpose-io/

Recording studio-quality remote interviews: https://ceohack.co/directory/riverside/

Editing and audio production: https://ceohack.co/directory/descript/

Podcast hosting options: https://ceohack.co/directory/podbean/ and https://ceohack.co/directory/blubrry/

Launch a podcast website quickly: https://ceohack.co/landing/podcastpage/

Beginner podcast help and equipment: https://ceohack.co/directory/help-4-podcasts/

Last word

Podcasting is a tool. The real power comes from knowing who you are, what you want to say, and why it matters to others. Take small, consistent steps. Do the inner work. Show up honestly in conversation. Over time, a clear voice plus consistent action becomes real influence.

Keep going. Be curious. Make your content a reflection of your best thinking and your truest self.

The post Chat#114 – Podcasting Secrets Every Entrepreneur Should Know appeared first on CEO Chat.

Chat#113 – From Layoff to Podcast Hosting: Our Roadmap from Uncertainty to Entrepreneurship

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:17:41 -0500

A candid conversation between Gresham and Dray Jankowski traces a familiar modern arc: job loss followed by reinvention. Their stories reveal a central idea: a layoff can be less an end than a moment that clarifies purpose, forces decisions, and accelerates action. The practical lessons that follow are for two groups: people actively looking for a job and people curious about franchising or starting something of their own.

The moment that changes everything

Dray experienced a layoff and, rather than chronicle day-to-day drama, chose to document the full emotional and practical journey. He launched a podcast to capture highs, lows, and lessons from others going through the same disruption. Gresham, who has navigated layoffs and big career moves, reflects on the isolation and identity questions layoffs can create and how storytelling and community break that isolation.

Key idea

A layoff is data. It reveals gaps, priorities, and time to create something that proves value. Dray saw it as an opportunity to build a platform. Gresham used career transitions to experiment, sharpen skills, and pursue opportunities that would not have been available if he had stayed comfortable.

Prepare before it happens

Both emphasize preparation well before any disruption. That preparation is practical and psychological: savings, deliberate learning, and a portfolio of proof.

Savings and runway: Build a financial buffer even while paying down debt. A runway buys options.

Continuous learning: Take courses, collect certifications, and build skills while employed.

Build proof today: Create content, case studies, and small projects that demonstrate results before a crisis hits.

Use content as a living portfolio

Dray and Gresham argue that content does more than tell a story. It becomes evidence of competence. A podcast episode, a blog post, a LinkedIn thread, or a short YouTube walkthrough demonstrates thinking, execution, and reach in ways a resume rarely can.

For creators and job seekers, the production tools are within reach. Record interviews, transcribe them, and repurpose the material into short clips, show notes, and social posts. The point is to show the work, not only claim it.

Tools and resources to publish and repurpose

Recording and publishing: SquadCast, Riverside, Descript

Transcription and notes: Otter.ai, transcript-lol

Repurposing long-form into social: Repurpose.io, Vizard.ai, Taja AI

Podcast websites and hosting: Podcastpage, Blubrry, Podbean

AI writing and content automation: ChatGPT, Copymatic, Writesonic

Learn-by-doing matters. If the exact tutorial for a tool is missing, create it. That video, blog post, or step-by-step guide becomes both an asset and a signal that the creator knows how to solve problems.

Job search strategies that actually work

The conversation surfaces tactical, high-leverage moves for anyone pursuing a new job.

Don't hire only for a manager: Managers make or break roles, but hire for at least three reasons—the role, the team, and the growth opportunity—so one change doesn't collapse the decision.

Be deliberate about referrals: Networking and referrals move the needle. People who worked at big-name firms usually find new roles more quickly because the network effect multiplies their reach.

Prepare rigorous evidence: Create a folder, portfolio, or one-pager with tangible results. Gresham described building interview packets with stories and metrics for each interviewer—an expensive discipline that pays off.

Negotiate for pay, not title: Titles matter emotionally, but pay buys choices. Consider offers where pay and growth trajectory align with goals.

Beat automation with quality: Many hiring systems use screening tools. Make your application stand out with concrete metrics and portfolio items that human reviewers can share.

Entrepreneurship or franchising? Choose the right model

Not every entrepreneurial path suits every person. The conversation distinguishes two sensible models:

Franchising: A readymade playbook with training and community. Ideal for people who want a tested system and executed operations.

Startup or independent business: A higher-ambiguity option that rewards visionaries who can assemble partners, sell a solution, and navigate product-market fit.

Gresham points out that franchise assessments and psychological fit tests can reveal whether someone prefers the structure of a playbook or the freedom (and risk) of building from scratch.

For early-stage ideas, follow a lean methodology and build an MVP rather than overbuilding. A concise recommendation: read The Lean Startup and run small experiments before scaling.

Useful reading and planning resources:

The Lean Startup

Business plan guidance

Imposter syndrome and the mindset shift

Both guests admit to imposter syndrome. Their solution is not eradication but changing the relationship with fear: feel it, then act. Gresham and Dray both advocate for a “do-first” approach—the best antidote to self-doubt is practice and visible progress.

How AI and workflows increase leverage

AI is not a threat to every job; it is a lever. Simple automations free time from repetitive tasks: meeting transcription, follow-up emails, content repurposing, and template generation. Learn the tools so they work for you.

Practical AI advice:

Use ChatGPT or similar models to draft messages, resumes, and outreach sequences.

Automate meeting notes and action items with Otter.ai and Descript, then feed transcripts into an AI summarizer.

Repurpose long-form audio into short videos using Repurpose.io, Vizard.ai, and Taja AI.

Learn-how links and reviews:

Repurpose.io review

Vizard.ai review

Taja AI review

ChatGPT directory page

Actionable checklists

For job seekers

Inventory skills and proof: List measurable achievements and convert them into short case studies.

Optimize a portfolio: Publish a 1-page case study, a short video, or a sample project that proves impact.

Practice interviews: Use flashcards and rehearse STAR stories. Prepare a folder or electronic packet to leave with interviewers.

Network intentionally: Ask for referrals and offer value first. Leverage alumni and prior coworkers.

Leverage AI for speed: Draft resumes and outreach through AI, then refine with human feedback.

For aspiring entrepreneurs and franchise seekers

Define why: Decide whether you want a playbook (franchise) or a product vision (startup).

Build an MVP: Start small with a testable offer—use a questionnaire, a landing page, or a pilot project.

Document results: Turn early wins into content and case studies that attract customers or investors.

Use inexpensive talent: Hire virtual assistants and freelancers for repetitive tasks. See outsourcing resources: https://ceohack.co/directory/onlinejobs-ph/ and https://ceohack.co/directory/upwork/

Learn continuously: Take free or low-cost courses, and use YouTube tutorials to close skill gaps.

Recommended operational tools and resources

Content republishing: https://ceohack.co/2024/04/26/repurpose-io-review-the-ultimate-content-distribution-powerhouse/

Podcast hosting and editing: https://ceohack.co/directory/podcastpage/ and https://ceohack.co/directory/descript/

AI-driven copy and content: https://ceohack.co/directory/copymatic/ and https://ceohack.co/directory/writesonic/

Transcription and meeting notes: https://ceohack.co/directory/otter-ai/

Lean startup methodology: https://ceohack.co/directory/the-lean-startup/

How to start and grow: https://ceohack.co/business-plan/

Final thoughts from Gresham and Dray

Dray turned a layoff into a platform. He used a podcast to learn publicly, create community, and open doors he had not expected. Gresham kept pushing boundaries—applying for roles that seemed out of reach, preparing obsessively, and using every resource to stretch possibility.

Their combined advice is simple and practical:

Prepare now: Save, learn, and document.

Show, don't just tell: Create content and build a portfolio that proves capability.

Use tools: Automate and augment mundane tasks with AI so human judgment and creativity lead.

Act despite fear: Imposter syndrome is normal; the difference is showing up anyway.

For those starting a podcast, launching a side hustle, exploring franchising, or returning to the workforce, the advice is the same: make one testable move today. Small, consistent experiments compound into momentum.

Where to learn more

Curated resource pages and tool reviews mentioned above are a good place to start:

CEO Hack blog and reviews: https://ceohack.co/blog/

Repurpose.io review: https://ceohack.co/2024/04/26/repurpose-io-review-the-ultimate-content-distribution-powerhouse/

Vizard.ai review: https://ceohack.co/2024/08/08/vizard-ai-reviews-the-ai-powered-video-trimming-tool/

Podcast hosting and tools: https://ceohack.co/directory/podcastpage/

Descript: https://ceohack.co/directory/descript/

Lean Startup methodology: https://ceohack.co/directory/the-lean-startup/

Both Gresham and Dray encourage curiosity, experimentation, and generous networking. Whether the next step is a job application, a franchise assessment, or an MVP launch, the work that matters most begins with one lean experiment and the discipline to follow up.

The post Chat#113 – From Layoff to Podcast Hosting: Our Roadmap from Uncertainty to Entrepreneurship appeared first on CEO Chat.

New Year Digital Marketing: Strategies and Campaign Planning for 2026

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:16:38 -0500

A well-defined marketing plan sets the stage for a successful new year. In 2026, personalization and data-driven insights will be key for effective engagement and conversion. Successful digital marketing in 2026 involves leveraging various digital channels, such as search engine optimization and a comprehensive understanding of your target audience and the platforms they use.

Importance of a Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is the roadmap for your marketing campaigns. It outlines your objectives, strategies, and tactics. It helps align your marketing efforts with your overall business goals.

A well-structured marketing plan allows you to allocate resources efficiently, track progress, and optimize your strategies for better results. Businesses need to set up for success and drive results that contribute to their bottom line.

Reflect and Review Your Current Year’s Performance

Evaluate Past Campaigns

Before embarking on a new year campaign, it’s crucial to evaluate your past marketing campaigns in 2025. Analyze the performance of each campaign using tools like Google Analytics to identify what worked and what didn’t.

Assess key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rate, and customer engagement to gain insights into the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. This evaluation will inform your approach for the coming year and help you refine your marketing efforts.

Review your business marketing position

Take a step back and assess your current marketing position. Evaluate your brand’s strengths and weaknesses, and identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Understand how your products or services are perceived in the market and how you compare to your competitors.

Consider changes in the market and adjust your marketing strategies accordingly. This review will provide a fresh starting point for planning your marketing plan.

Audit and Plan Your Owned Media Campaigns

Audit all of your owned media channels, including your website, blog, and social media profiles.

Ensure that your brand message is consistent across all platforms and that your content is optimized for search engine optimization and user engagement.

Plan your content creation schedule for the coming year. Focus on creating valuable and engaging content that resonates with your target audience and drives traffic to your website.

How to Create an Effective New Year Marketing Campaign

Set Campaign Goals for 2026

Set clear, measurable goals that align with your overall business objectives. Define your aims early on to track progress and optimize your marketing efforts.

Whether it’s boosting brand awareness, increasing website traffic, or driving up conversion rates, consider what you want to achieve with your marketing strategies and ensure that your goals are specific, attainable, and relevant to your target audience.

Craft Your Message

Your message should resonate with your target audience and clearly communicate the value of your products or services. It should also differentiate your brand from the competition and create a memorable impression.

Think about what makes your brand unique and use that to inform your message. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics to understand what messaging has worked best in the past.

Engage Your Audience with Content Marketing

Content marketing remains a cornerstone of successful digital marketing strategies. Create high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience to drive traffic to your website and boost brand awareness.

Focus on delivering valuable information that addresses your audience’s needs and interests. This could include blog posts, videos, infographics, and social media content.

A well-executed content marketing strategy not only attracts potential customers but also fosters brand loyalty.

Optimizing Your Marketing Campaigns

Utilize Analytics for Campaign Performance

Monitoring and optimizing your marketing campaigns using tools like Google Analytics provides valuable insights into website traffic, conversion rates, and customer engagement.

It helps identify what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to make data-driven decisions. Regularly review your analytics to refine your strategies and ensure you are maximizing your return on investment in your digital marketing efforts.

Implement SEO Strategies for the New Year

Implement SEO strategies to improve your online presence and drive organic traffic to your website. Focus on optimizing your content with relevant keywords, improving your website’s structure, and building high-quality backlinks.

Keep up with the latest search engine algorithm updates to ensure your strategies are effective. Well-executed SEO can significantly enhance your visibility and attract more potential customers. The better the search engine optimization, the better your ranking!

Leverage Digital Marketing Tools

Explore different tools to find the ones that best fit your needs and integrate them into your marketing workflow.

From social media management platforms to email marketing software, there are countless tools available to help you automate tasks, track performance, and optimize your campaigns.

Embracing technology can help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape and achieve better results from your marketing campaigns for 2026.

Measure Success and Adjust Strategies

Use tools like Google Analytics to track key performance indicators such as website traffic, conversion rate, and social media engagement.

Regularly analyze the data to identify areas of improvement and adjust your marketing strategies accordingly. Focus on refining your message and ensuring it resonates with your target audience.

By monitoring your progress and making data-driven adjustments, you can maximize the impact of your digital marketing efforts and drive results throughout 2026.

Planning for the Best Year Yet

Planning your 2026 marketing is the perfect time to revamp your marketing plan and strategies for 2026.

Start by setting clear goals that align with your business objectives.

Develop a detailed marketing plan outlining your tactics, timelines, and budget.

Focus on leveraging digital marketing strategies to reach your target audience effectively.

Best practices in digital marketing should be integrated into your planning process to ensure maximum impact.

With careful planning and execution, you can set the tone for a successful new year and achieve significant growth.

Should You Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

Consider your budget, internal resources, and the level of expertise required when making your decision. A reputable agency like Blue16Media brings expertise in search engine optimization, social media marketing, and content marketing, helping to improve your online presence. We develop effective digital marketing strategies tailored to your business goals and help you stay ahead of the competition. Contact us today to drive results, optimize your marketing efforts, and ensure a successful new year campaign.

The post New Year Digital Marketing: Strategies and Campaign Planning for 2026 appeared first on .

Holiday Marketing to Prepare Your Brand for the Festive Season

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 09:16:44 -0400

The holiday season presents unparalleled opportunities for small businesses to connect with holiday shoppers and drive sales. It’s often a unique season characterized by increased consumer spending and a heightened emotional connection to brands and effective holiday marketing tips can evoke that holiday spirit.

This guide will help you navigate the holiday rush and implement successful holiday marketing strategies for maximum impact.

Planning Your Holiday Marketing Campaign

Understanding the dynamics of the holiday shopping season maximizes your reach, optimizes your budget, and delivers a memorable customer experience.

Knowing when holiday shoppers start their searches, what motivates their purchasing decisions, and how they interact with marketing campaigns will enable you to tailor your marketing strategies more effectively.

Set Goals for Your Holiday Marketing Campaign

Clearly defined goals guide your marketing strategies and provide a benchmark to evaluate performance.

Whether your aim is to increase sales by a specific percentage, grow your email marketing list, or enhance brand awareness, setting measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is crucial.

For example, you might set a goal to increase ecommerce sales by 20% or acquire 500 new customers through holiday promotions.

Create a Holiday Marketing Timeline

A well-structured timeline ensures that each promotional activity is launched at the optimal time, maximizing impact and minimizing overlap.

Start by mapping out key dates such as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and specific holiday deadlines for shipping and delivery. Then, schedule the launch of your holiday ad campaigns, email marketing sequences, and social media content.

A detailed timeline allows you to maintain a consistent message, manage resources efficiently, and stay ahead of the holiday rush.

Effective Holiday Marketing Strategies and Ideas

Utilize E-commerce for Maximum Reach

A well-optimized e-commerce platform serves as the central hub for your holiday marketing campaign, allowing you to showcase your products or services to a wider audience.

Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate. Implement holiday-themed banners and product displays to create a festive spirit and encourage shopping.

Leverage search engine optimization (SEO) to improve visibility in search results, making it easier for shoppers to find your sale and special offers.

Incorporate Discounts and Promotions

Holiday shoppers are actively seeking special offers and deals during the holiday shopping season, making it an ideal time to attract new customers and reward existing ones.

Consider offering a range of promotions such as percentage-based discounts, buy-one-get-one deals, free shipping, or bundled gift sets. Use persuasive language to convey a sense of urgency and scarcity, such as “limited-time offer” or “while supplies last,” to encourage immediate purchases.

Promote these discounts and promotions prominently across your website, email marketing, and social media channels.

Develop a Festive Gift Guide

A well-curated gift guide helps customers navigate your products or services and find the perfect presents for their loved ones.

Organize your gift guide by recipient (e.g., “gifts for him,” “gifts for her”), price range, or interest to make it easy for shoppers to browse.

Include high-quality product photos and detailed descriptions, highlighting the unique benefits of each item.

Enhance Customer Experience through Personalization

Personalization involves tailoring your marketing efforts and customer interactions to meet the individual needs and preferences of your shoppers.

Use data to segment your email marketing list and send targeted promotions based on past purchases, browsing history, or demographic information.

Personalize your website by displaying relevant product recommendations and greeting customers by name. Provide exceptional customer service and address any concerns promptly and efficiently to create a memorable and positive customer experience.

Leverage Social Media for Engagement

Create engaging content that captures the festive spirit, such as behind-the-scenes glimpses of your preparations, holiday-themed contests and giveaways, or user-generated content featuring your products.

Run targeted ad campaigns to reach specific demographics and interests. Engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages promptly, and use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and reach.

Build a Loyalty Program for Holiday Shoppers

Rewarding your loyal customers for their continued support encourages them to choose your small business over competitors during the holiday shopping season and beyond. Offer exclusive promotions, early access to sales, or special discounts to loyalty program members.

Consider tiered loyalty programs with increasing benefits based on spending levels. Promote your loyalty program prominently across your website, email marketing, and social media channels.

Ensure that your loyalty program is easy to join and that the rewards are valuable and appealing to your target audience, enhancing their customer experience.

Other Creative Holiday Marketing Ideas

Consider innovative campaigns that capture attention and engage shoppers in unique ways through:

1) Partnering with local influencers to promote your products or services

2) Host a virtual holiday-themed event or workshop to showcase your expertise and connect with your target audience on a personal level

3) Using augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) to create immersive shopping experiences

4) A Christmas-themed photo contest or social media challenge to encourage user-generated content.

5) Partnering with local charities or non-profit organizations to support a worthy cause and demonstrate your commitment to giving back to the community.

Planning for Post-Holiday Sales and Marketing

The period after the holidays presents opportunities to clear out excess inventory, engage new customers acquired during the holiday rush, and build lasting relationships.

Consider launching post-holiday sales events, offering special discounts on remaining holiday-themed products, or promoting gift cards and store credit to encourage future purchases.

Use email marketing and social media to stay connected with your audience, share valuable content, and tease upcoming promotions and product releases.

How Blue16 Media Can Help

At Blue16 Media, we understand the role of holiday marketing in driving sales. We design websites that welcome visitors, craft social stories that spark conversation, and deploy SEO strategies that put you on the map. Let us create a holiday marketing plan that drives traffic and builds trust for your business.

Visit us at 2800 Eisenhower Ave, #220, Alexandria, VA 22314, or contact us online to start your adventure today.

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How to Create a Killer Landing Page Using High-Converting Design Tips

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:16:10 -0400

A killer landing page that converts is the dedicated space where visitors decide whether or not to engage.

Unlike a general website page, a high-converting landing page focuses solely on a specific offering and encourages visitors to complete a desired action.

It’s the workhorse of your marketing efforts, driving measurable results and boosting your bottom line.

Key Elements of High-Converting Landing Pages

Has a Clear Purpose

A focused message translates to a higher conversion rate. When creating high-converting landing pages, you must define the specific action you want visitors to take.

Are you offering a free trial, an ebook, or a consultation?

The entire landing page’s design, message, and CTAs should all be aligned to support that single goal.

Without a clear purpose, your landing page becomes a jumbled mess of information, overwhelming visitors and reducing your chances of the landing page’s success.

Compelling Headlines

A great headline speaks directly to your target audience’s pain points and offers a solution.

It’s the first thing visitors see, so it needs to grab their attention immediately and communicate the core value proposition of your product or service.

Think of it as your elevator pitch that has to be excellent to ensure a successful landing.

A great headline speaks directly to your target audience’s pain points and offers a solution.

It should be concise, clear, and action-oriented, prompting visitors to read on and learn more about your offering.

Effective Call to Action (CTA) Strategies

A strong CTA is the key to turning a browser into a customer. Your CTA button should stand out visually and be placed strategically throughout the page, especially above the fold.

The message on your CTA should be clear, concise, and compelling, telling visitors exactly what they will get when they click. For example, instead of “Submit,” try “Download Your Free Ebook” or “Start Your Free Trial.”

A/B test different CTA designs and copy to optimize your landing page and find what works best for your target audience.

Utilizes Social Proof to Boost Credibility

Potential customers are more likely to engage with your product or service if they see that others have had positive experiences.

Incorporate testimonials, reviews, case studies, and social media mentions on your landing page to showcase your credibility.

Display recognizable logos of past clients or partners to further enhance trust. This makes visitors comfortable with the idea of taking action, thus engaging and converting them.

Best Practices for Landing Page Creation

Design a User-Friendly UI

A user-friendly UI directly impacts the visitor’s experience and, consequently, the conversion rate.

A clean, intuitive design ensures that visitors can easily find the information they need and take action without frustration.

Ensure clear navigation, logical flow, and visual cues that guide users toward the CTAs.

Use whitespace effectively to avoid overwhelming visitors and maintain a focused message.

Optimize for Mobile Users

With a significant portion of web traffic originating from mobile devices, a high-converting landing page must provide a seamless experience on smartphones and tablets.

This means ensuring that your page elements are responsive, adapting to different screen sizes without compromising readability or functionality.

Optimize images and videos for faster loading times on mobile networks. Make your CTA buttons easily tappable and forms simple to fill out on smaller screens.

Test and Analyze Conversion Rates

A/B testing allows you to experiment with different headlines, CTAs, design elements, and content variations to see what resonates best with your target audience.

It helps you identify areas for improvement and refine your approach to maximize your conversion rate.

Utilize analytics tools to track key metrics, including bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate, to gain valuable insights into user behavior and preferences.

Tips to Create Killer Landing Pages in Minutes

Choose the Right Tools for Landing Page Creation

The right tools streamline the creation process. Numerous user-friendly platforms offer drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-designed templates, making it easy to build a landing page that converts, even without extensive technical skills.

When selecting a landing page builder, consider several factors, including:

Ease of use

Customization options

These platforms empower you to quickly create killer landing pages, optimize them for conversions, and track their performance, all in one place.

Iterate Based on User Feedback

Collect user feedback through surveys, heatmaps, and user testing to understand how visitors interact with your landing page and identify what resonates best with them.

Identify pain points, areas of confusion, and opportunities for improvement.

Use this feedback to make data-driven decisions about your landing page design, messaging, and functionality.

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The Role of Analytics in Digital Marketing

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:16:45 -0400

Digital marketing analytics is all about making sense of the vast amount of marketing data generated every day. Instead of relying on gut feelings, digital marketers use data to see what’s really working, what’s not, and how to improve their marketing strategies.

It helps you understand who your customers are, how they interact with your brand, and what motivates their purchasing decisions.

This guide walks you through how to leverage analytics to make smarter decisions, optimize your marketing efforts to achieve a higher return on investment.

How Analytics Drives Marketing Strategies

Analytics helps pinpoint market trends and customer behaviors. By analyzing data, you can identify patterns and preferences that inform your marketing strategies.

Analytics helps gauge the effectiveness and reach of your marketing campaigns, enabling you to refine your approach and focus on what delivers the best results.

For example, if you see a spike in traffic from a particular social media platform, analytics can help you allocate more resources to that channel to maximize your reach and impact.

Key Components of Marketing Analytics

Types of Marketing Data to Consider

When diving into marketing analytics, it’s crucial to identify the types of marketing data that matter most. This includes customer data like demographics, purchase history, and engagement metrics.

Digital marketing activities generate valuable data from various touchpoints, such as;

Website visits

Social media interactions

Email click-through rates.

Understanding this data is foundational for analyzing data and optimizing your marketing efforts, leading to a higher return on investment.

Analytics Tools for Small Businesses

To effectively leverage analytics in digital marketing, small businesses need the right analytics tool.

Several options exist to help them in this task, including:

Google Analytics, a free and powerful option for website analytics, tracking traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates.

Social media platforms, which offer their own analytics dashboards, provide insights into audience engagement and campaign performance.

Choosing the right digital analytics tools allows digital marketers to make data-driven decisions and refine their digital marketing strategies.

Gathering Customer Data Effectively

Effective data analytics in marketing starts with gathering customer data ethically and efficiently.

Implement forms, surveys, and tracking pixels on your website to capture relevant information.

Encourage social media engagement and monitor interactions to understand customer behavior.

Ensure compliance with privacy regulations while collecting and analyzing data.

Using Data to Improve Marketing Strategies

Making Data-Driven Decisions

Analytics enable highly targeted and personalized marketing initiatives. By evaluating campaign data, marketers can discern what resonates best with their audience, fine-tuning campaigns for maximal engagement and conversion rates.

Insights on user interaction with your site guide improvements in design and content, bolstering both user experience and site performance.

Real-Time Analytics for Immediate Impact

Real-time analytics provides digital marketers with immediate insights into ongoing marketing campaigns. This allows for quick adjustments to optimize performance and capitalize on emerging market trends.

It identifies what’s working and what’s not, making immediate changes to improve conversion rates. For example, if you notice a sudden drop in traffic from a specific source, real-time analytics can help you quickly identify and address the issue.

Predictive Analytics: Anticipating Customer Needs

Innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning promise to unlock deeper, predictive analytics insights into customer preferences and future trends. This enables marketers to anticipate needs and tailor marketing strategies accordingly.

Predictive analytics can forecast future market trends and customer behavior. This allows your marketing team to proactively adjust marketing strategies, enhancing the return on investment of your digital marketing campaign.

Measuring ROI with Digital Marketing Analytics

Return on Investment (ROI) in digital marketing quantifies the profitability of your marketing efforts. It measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on a digital marketing campaign, helping you assess the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.

Calculating ROI accurately requires tracking all costs associated with your digital marketing initiatives, including advertising spend, software subscriptions, and employee salaries.

Calculating ROI Using Marketing Analytics

To calculate ROI using marketing analytics, start by identifying the total revenue generated from a specific digital marketing campaign.

Subtract the total cost of the campaign from this revenue to determine the net profit. Divide the net profit by the total cost, and then multiply by 100 to express the ROI as a percentage.

For instance, if a marketing campaign cost $10,000 and generated $30,000 in revenue, the ROI would be 200%.

Best Practices for Ongoing Data Analysis

For ongoing data analysis, focus on metrics closely aligned with business goals to avoid data overload. Merging insights from various areas is crucial for a comprehensive marketing overview.

It’s important to keep up with changes by focusing on:

Analytics trends.

Regularly reviewing and refining your marketing strategies based on data-driven insights.

Digital marketing is always evolving; implement changes based on insights and gauge their impact to continually refine marketing strategies and maximize return on investment.

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Chat#112 – Overcome Fear & Unlock Your Entrepreneurial Potential – Who’s Interviewing Who?

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:50:48 -0400

Fear is one of the most common hurdles entrepreneurs face on their journey to success. In this insightful discussion between Gresh from the CEO Chat Podcast and Inga Maskun, we dive deep into understanding fear—not as an enemy, but as a natural companion on the path of entrepreneurship. This article explores how fear manifests, practical ways to neutralize it, and how to harness it to unlock your true potential.

Understanding Fear: A Constant Companion

Fear is not something we can completely eliminate. Inga shares a powerful perspective: “Fear will always be around us. Why try to haggle with it?” Instead of fighting fear, the key is to make peace with it—acknowledging it as a friend or a companion in life. Just like some friends we live with even if we don't always sync perfectly, fear is something we can learn to coexist with and navigate around.

This mindset shift is crucial because many people misunderstand fear. They want to get rid of it entirely, but fear often arises even before we are consciously aware of it. It can stop us from pursuing our dreams or starting a business. Normalizing fear as neither good nor bad but simply present allows us to begin working with it rather than against it.

How Fear Shows Up: Four Common Forms

Inga identifies four ways fear can disguise itself, particularly when pursuing entrepreneurial goals:

Delay: Putting off action with thoughts like “I’ll do it later” or “I need to do something else first.”

Distraction: Getting sidetracked by less urgent tasks or excuses that prevent focus.

Dissuasion: Internal voices that sow doubt, such as “You failed before, are you really cut out for this?”

Freeze: Feeling stuck or overwhelmed to the point where you can’t move forward.

These forms often feel practical or logical but are actually fear in disguise, trying to keep you from stepping fully into your potential.

Neutralizing Fear: Tools and Mindset Shifts

Neutralizing fear begins with making an upfront agreement with yourself: you cannot get rid of fear, but you can let it guide you without dominating your decisions. When dissuasion arises—those internal doubts—question their validity. For example, if you failed before, remind yourself that you are better equipped now, perhaps with mentors or coaches to support you.

Working with mentors or coaches can help transform the inner voice of fear into one of inspiration and empowerment. They serve as sounding boards that help you challenge limiting beliefs and take meaningful action.

Another powerful way to neutralize fear is by shifting the questions you ask yourself. Instead of asking limiting questions like “What if I fail?” or “I don’t have enough money,” try reframing to empowering questions such as:

“What can I do to move forward despite fear?”

“What resources or support can I find to help me succeed?”

“What is the vision I am working towards, and how does it feel?”

Inga shares a compelling example from her mentor: instead of asking how to travel to France without losing money, she asked how to travel to France and make $10,000. This shift in mindset opened up new opportunities and creative solutions.

Operating with Fear: Clarity, Decision, and Action

Fear tends to be more powerful when there is a lack of clarity or a clear vision. Entrepreneurs often face conflicting voices: the excitement of being their own boss versus doubts about their qualifications or past failures. Inga reminds us that learning any new skill, whether biking, cooking, or running a business, involves trial, error, and persistence.

Making a firm decision to be “all in” is critical. Dipping toes in the water isn’t enough to overcome fear and uncertainty. Once you decide to pursue your vision fully, fear becomes a signal that you are expanding and stepping outside your comfort zone.

Gresh echoes this, noting that successful entrepreneurs develop a strong relationship with time and purpose—they see their investments as opportunities to open doors, not just costs to avoid.

Barriers to Moving Forward: The Enemy of Great is Good

One of the most subtle fears is contentment with “good enough.” Many people settle because their current situation feels comfortable or “good,” even when their dreams could be bigger. This is a form of dissuasion—fear reasoning that warns against risk and urges staying safe.

Inga highlights a powerful mantra from her school days: “Don’t settle for good when you know you can be great.” Recognizing when fear is trying to keep you in that comfortable “good” zone is essential to pushing beyond limits.

Whether someone is facing a layoff or considering adding a new venture, those with an abundant mindset who embrace growth tend to overcome fear and take bold steps forward.

Love as the Opposite of Fear

Love is a compelling force that pulls us beyond fear. Inga and Gresh discuss how love—for your family, your passion, your purpose—can fuel the courage to act despite fear. Love invokes different senses and motivation than obligation or responsibility.

For Gresh, faith and a deep love for entrepreneurship provided the drive to push through doubts and challenges. This love, combined with an abundant mentality, opens doors to greater possibilities and success.

Listening to Your Intuition and Inner Voice

Entrepreneurial ideas often come from a small inner voice—an intuition or calling to grow and expand. Growth is a natural order of the universe, and resisting it often stems from conditioned beliefs or fear-based messaging to “be humble” or “be grateful with what you have.”

Recognizing and nurturing that inner voice, rather than suppressing it, is vital. Growth and expansion are signs that your dreams are alive, and fear often signals that you are pushing boundaries.

Taking Action and Staying Open to Opportunities

Fear can be settled by taking action and opening yourself to receive guidance and support. Inga encourages celebrating awareness of fear rather than condemning it. When fear arises, acknowledge it, then shift your focus to moving forward with openness to unexpected opportunities.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will show up,” Inga reminds us. Often, the resources or people who can help us are already present—we just need to be ready and receptive.

This openness can lead to serendipitous connections and breakthroughs, helping entrepreneurs move beyond fear into empowered action.

Conclusion: Embrace Fear, Cultivate Vision, and Take the Leap

Fear is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey, but it does not have to hold you back. By understanding fear’s many disguises—delay, distraction, dissuasion, and freeze—you can learn to recognize when it is trying to stop you.

Neutralize fear by making peace with it, shifting your mindset to abundance, asking empowering questions, and cultivating a compelling vision rooted in love and purpose. Surround yourself with mentors and coaches who can guide you and help transform fear into a motivating force.

Finally, take decisive action and remain open to the unexpected. Your dreams are bigger than your fears, and stepping outside your comfort zone is where growth and greatness happen.

If you’re ready to explore your entrepreneurial potential and need guidance, consider connecting with Inga Maskun at ingemaskun.com or livingyourinspiredlife.com for a complimentary session to start your journey.

For more insights on entrepreneurship, mindset, and business strategies, explore related resources here on CEO Hack:

How to Create a Better Morning Routine

How to Repurpose Content Efficiently

What is a CEO Hack?

Vizard AI: Video Trimming Tool Review

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How a Smart Guest Blogging Strategy Helps Your Website Grow

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:16:13 -0400

You have a great idea or product, but not many people know about it. Sounds familiar? How can you share it with more people? One smart way is called guest blogging. This isn’t just about getting your name out there; it’s about working with other businesses to share your message, find new friends for your website, and show everyone that you know a lot about your topic.

Learning how to put together an effective guest blogging strategy is important if you want your website to get bigger.

What is Guest Blogging and Why is it Important?

Guest blogging, or guest posting, is like trading turns. You write a blog post for another website, or someone else writes one for your website. It’s a win-win for everyone.

The main goal is to help more people see your website, improve how easily people can find you on search engines like Google, and build trust in your brand. When a guest post appears on a website, it shares ideas from someone outside that website, often to tell people about a special message or brand.

Why Guest Blogging is a Great Deal for Everyone

Guest blogging offers many good things for both the website that hosts the content and the person who writes the guest post. It’s a teamwork effort that helps everyone grow.

Good Things for the Website Hosting the Post

When you ask people to write guest posts for your website, you can get a lot more visitors and people finding you through searches. Guest bloggers usually want to share their post with their friends, which brings new readers to your site. Plus, by showing off experts, your website becomes even more trusted in your field, and you make new friends with important leaders.

Good Things for the Person Writing the Post

For people who write guest posts, it’s a chance to show their ideas to new groups of people, making their audience much bigger. It’s a great way to meet more customers and others in their field, which can help their name grow and even lead to new jobs. Most importantly, when they put links to their own website in their guest posts, Google sees that their site is important, and this can help their own website show up higher in search results.

Important Steps for a Great Guest Blogging Strategy

To make sure your guest blogging works well, you need a good plan. Here’s how to make sure your efforts make a big splash. Building a strong guest blogging strategy is key to making your website grow in amazing ways.

1. Know What You Want to Achieve First

Do you want more people to visit a special page on your website? Do you want more people to know your brand name?

Do you want to get more links to your site for better Google rankings? Do you want to show that you are an expert? Or maybe you want more people to sign up for your email list or follow you on social media?

Knowing your goals helps you write your “about me” part and makes sure your links truly help people, building trust with new readers.

2. Becoming an Expert in Your Field

If your goal is to be seen as a super smart person in your area, then write for websites that are respected and have readers who like to think deeply. Look for places that show who wrote the post clearly and where editors really like good ideas.

Share your own experiences, tell stories about how things worked out, or share information that only you have. Write longer articles that people will want to share and talk about, showing that you really know your stuff.

3. Moving Up on Google

To get good links back to your website and show up higher on Google, find websites that are important (like a DA of 50 or more) and have content about your topic.

Write articles that naturally use the words you want people to search for. Make sure to follow all the rules for adding links, and carefully add links to other pages on your own website and other good websites.

Think about making a special page just for new visitors so you can see how many people come from your guest post.

4. Getting People to Come to Your Site

If you want lots of people to visit your website and maybe become customers, write for blogs that have many readers and get promoted a lot. Look for websites with many followers on social media, lots of comments, and editors who work hard to tell everyone about new posts.

Make sure your topic helps solve problems for the people who read that blog. Put a clear “what to do next” message in your “about me” section, like “visit my website.” And always use special links to keep track of how many people come from that post.

5. Finding Places to Write Guest Posts

To find websites that let people write guest posts, try searching on Google or social media sites like X (which used to be Twitter). You can type things like “[your topic] + ‘write for us’” or “[your topic] + ‘guest article.’”

You can also check where other similar businesses are writing guest posts by using tools that show website links, like Semrush or Ahrefs. Also, look at lists of websites that accept guest posts, like Alltop, to find good places in your area.

6. Figuring Out Which Guest Blogging Spots Are Best

Before you suggest an idea, carefully look at the websites you find. Use tools like Moz’s Link Explorer to check how important they are (their Domain Authority or DA). It’s usually best to pick websites with higher DAs.

Also, see how many followers and email subscribers they have to guess how many people will see your post. Read some of their other blog posts to make sure your topic fits. Check if their “about the author” sections let you link back to your website. And always stay away from websites that seem fake or spammy, because they can hurt your website’s standing.

7. Reaching Out to Friends

Before you send your idea, spend some time getting to know the website owners or editors. Follow them on social media, sign up for their emails, and read their posts regularly. This helps you understand what their readers like and what they care about.

Share their content, leave thoughtful comments on their blogs, and reply to their newsletters. Doing this makes your email stand out from all the others they get.

8. Picking a Winning Idea for Your Guest Post

Look at the popular articles on the blog you want to write for and think about how you can add something special. Can you give a new view on a topic they already covered?

Can you add more details to something they wrote? Or can you write about something brand new that their readers would love? Tools like Buzzsumo can help you find popular content in your area.

Make sure your idea hasn’t been covered a lot by that website already, and always read their rules for guest posts before you suggest anything.

9. Sending Your Great Idea

Your ideal email should be short, personal, and use the website owner’s or editor’s name. Put a strong, exciting title for your post in the email’s subject line. Briefly explain what your post is about and how it will help their readers. Finish by quickly saying why you are the best person to write this post.

10. Writing Amazing Content

Once your idea is accepted, it’s time to write a fantastic guest post. Create a headline that immediately tells the reader what they will gain, uses strong action words, and makes them feel something.

Do some research to find the best words people search for related to your topic so your post can be found easily. Add relevant links to other pages on your own website and other good websites naturally, but always follow the website owner’s rules for links very carefully.

11. Checking and Sharing Your Hard Work

Regularly look at how well your guest posts are doing. Are people talking about them on social media? Has your website gotten more visitors? Checking these things helps you make your guest blogging plan even better. Once your post is published, share it on your own social media pages to make sure even more people see it.

Guest blogging, when you have a clear plan and follow the rules for getting found online, is a very strong way to get more visitors and build trust. Understanding how it helps, carefully planning who you will contact, and writing great content are all parts of a successful guest blogging strategy that can make your website grow in amazing ways.

How Blue16 Media Can Help

Blue16 Media is a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping businesses expand their online presence.

Our services include expert website design and support to ensure your site is ready for new visitors, effective social media management to amplify your content, and cutting-edge search engine optimization (SEO) services to ensure your guest posts deliver maximum impact and keep your organization or company ahead of the curve. Let us help you turn your guest blogging efforts into consistent traffic and growth.

For more information or inquiries, fill out our contact form or visit us today at 2800 Eisenhower Ave, #220, Alexandria, VA 22314.

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How to Use Influencer Marketing to Grow Your Business

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:16:40 -0400

When your favorite internet personality recommends something they genuinely love, you’re more likely to pay attention, right? That’s the power of influencer marketing where businesses partner with popular social media figures, known as influencers or creators, to promote their products in a way that feels personal and authentic.

Learning how to use influencer marketing to grow your business means tapping into these trusted voices to reach people who already care about your niche. It allows you to introduce your brand through someone your potential customers already follow and believe, building trust from the very first impression.

That’s why influencer marketing often outperforms traditional ads; it feels real, sparks engagement, and helps your business grow.

How Influencers Help Your Brand Grow

Influencer marketing offers incredible advantages, especially for small and mid-sized businesses eager to stand out in a crowded market.

It helps you move beyond outdated advertising methods and connect with highly engaged communities that already care about what you offer, driving quality leads, and increasing brand visibility, all without overspending.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s explore how influencer marketing can grow your business.

Share Your Brand in a Natural Way: Influencers are good at talking about things they like in a way that feels real. Instead of sounding like an ad, they show how your product fits into their daily life. This feels more like a friend giving advice than a salesperson, and people trust it more.

Create Helpful Hashtags: Influencers are good at making or finding popular hashtags. These are like labels that help new people find your brand online, easily. This makes more people see your brand and helps you reach new customers.

Help Your Brand Show Up in Online Searches (SEO): When influencers make great content about your brand or link to your website, search engines like Google notice.With good keywords and links, this can help your brand appear higher in search results.

Grow Your Social Media Reach: One of the best things about working with influencers is that your brand can instantly reach all their followers. Influencers have built large groups of loyal fans on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. When they show your brand, your message goes out to many new people who might not have heard of your business otherwise. This quickly makes your audience much bigger.

Give You Ideas from Their Followers: Influencers are a direct link between your brand and the people who might buy your products. Their comments, messages, and how people interact with their posts give you many ideas. Followers often share what they think, ask questions, and give honest opinions about products. This quick feedback is very helpful for understanding what your future customers really want and need.

Make Your Brand Seem More Important: When an influencer, who is seen as an expert or a trendsetter, recommends your product, it makes your brand seem more trustworthy right away. Their strong approval makes your business look more reliable and a leader in your area. This is very helpful for new businesses trying to build trust quickly.

Help People Trust and Stay Loyal to Your Brand: People follow influencers because they trust what they say. When you work with an influencer, you get to use that trust. This helps people trust your brand more, and often turns new buyers into loyal customers who stick with your products because someone they trust does.

Increase Your Chances of Going Viral: Influencers are good at making exciting content that people love to share. When their content about your brand does well, social media sites often show it to even more people, and sometimes it can spread very, very quickly. This makes it more likely for your brand’s message to go “viral,” meaning many people see it at once.

Help Protect Your Brand’s Good Name: Influencers can help by making positive content or explaining things clearly if something goes wrong protecting your brand’s image during tough times.

Make Your Brand Rich in Content: Working with influencers means you’ll always have new, good-quality content showing off your products. This includes professional content made by the influencer, and also fun content made by their followers who get excited about your brand.

Help Share What Your Brand Believes in: When influencers share your message and show how your products fit their own beliefs, they tell a wider audience what your business stands for. This attracts customers who not only like your products but also believe in your mission.

Help You Get More Sales: Use special discount codes or links that let you see exactly how many people bought something because of influencer promotion.

Finding the Perfect Influencers for Your Business

A smart process of getting the right influencers starts with knowing what you want to achieve with your marketing and then carefully looking for people to work with.

1. Define Your Campaign Goals

What do you want your influencer campaign to do?

Do you want more people to know your brand, or do you want to sell more products?

Set clear goals and know your budget. These goals will help you choose the right influencers.

2. Research for Content Fit and Authenticity

Once you know your goals, find influencers whose videos or posts match what your brand is about and who your customers are.

Look for people who talk about things related to your business and whose posts get lots of likes, comments, and shares.

It’s really important to work with influencers who actually like your brand, because their followers will trust them more if it feels real.

3. Evaluate Professional Experience and Brand Safety

Before you decide to work with someone, check their past work. See if they’ve done sponsored posts before and if those posts looked natural.

Find out if they’ve worked with other companies that sell similar things to yours. Make sure their past content doesn’t have anything that could make your brand look bad. Influencer’s values should match your brand’s values to safeguard your reputation.

4. Understand Influencer Types by Expertise

Influencers can be different based on what they are good at:

Mavens: These are experts who know a lot about a topic and love to share facts and ideas. Think of a gaming expert who explains new games really well.

Salesmen: These influencers are good at talking people into trying new products or ideas. They are often good storytellers and can help you sell things.

Connectors: These people know lots of other people and are great at spreading news by talking about it. A famous singer or a popular person in your town could be a connector.

5. Understand Influencer Types by Audience Size

You can also group influencers by how many followers they have:

Nanoinfluencers (fewer than 10,000 followers): They have smaller, very loyal groups of followers who really trust them. Great for reaching specific groups of people.

Microinfluencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers): They have a good number of followers and are often experts in their area. They have good reach and strong trust.

Macroinfluencers (100,000 to 1 million followers): They have many followers and can reach a lot of people. Good for making more people aware of your brand.

Megainfluencers (over 1 million followers): These are like celebrities. They reach a huge number of people, but they cost a lot more money.

Picking the right influencers who fit your brand and audience, and working with them well, will help you get great results. Using influencer marketing can truly change your business, helping it become more successful and connect with more people.

Want to learn more about other ways to get your brand noticed online and build trust? Check out this helpful article: The Role of Content Marketing in Driving Traffic and Building Trust

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Cash Flow Mistakes Every Entrepreneur Must Avoid: Insights from Dan DeGolier

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:04:23 -0400

Managing cash flow is one of the most critical challenges entrepreneurs face as they build and scale their businesses. In this comprehensive guide, we explore essential strategies to avoid common cash flow mistakes, inspired by the expertise of Dan DeGolier, founder and CEO of Ascent CFO Solutions. Dan brings over 30 years of financial leadership experience, helping entrepreneurs understand their finances, forecast cash flow, and secure the capital needed to grow. Whether you’re just starting your entrepreneurial journey or looking to accelerate your company’s growth, these insights will help you maintain financial health and make strategic business decisions.

Dan DeGolier’s Journey: From CPA to Fractional CFO Leader

Dan’s story begins with a traditional accounting background as a CPA at a global firm, but his passion for entrepreneurship and innovation led him to focus on high-growth technology companies early in his career. He gravitated toward roles where he could help disrupt the status quo and support companies changing the way business is done.

After working as a CFO in various technology firms, Dan encountered a recurring problem: many startups and growing companies needed CFO expertise but couldn’t afford a full-time financial executive. This realization sparked the idea of fractional CFO services — providing part-time, flexible CFO leadership to multiple companies simultaneously.

Though the term “fractional CFO” wasn’t widely used at the time, Dan pioneered this model, eventually founding Ascent CFO Solutions in 2016. Today, his firm employs 40 people and serves over 90 companies across diverse industries. Their mission centers on helping entrepreneurs grow by providing expert financial leadership on a flexible basis.

Understanding the Role of a Fractional CFO

Many companies, regardless of size or stage, require strong financial leadership to manage cash flow, plan for growth, and make informed decisions. Dan emphasizes that whether a business is venture-backed, angel-funded, or self-financed, visibility into cash flow and future financial scenarios is paramount.

Ascent CFO Solutions helps clients with:

Cash flow forecasting: Developing detailed financial models that project revenue, expenses, and cash needs over three to five years.

Fundraising support: Assisting with equity and debt financing to fuel growth.

Exit planning: Preparing companies for eventual sale or transition.

At the heart of their service is creating robust financial models that incorporate:

Sales pipeline and conversion rates

Costs related to sales, marketing, engineering, supply chain, and operations

General and administrative expenses such as headcount and facilities

Dan stresses the importance of a strong accounting foundation. Accurate historical financials are essential for reliable forecasting. To that end, Ascent CFO Solutions employs skilled controllers, accountants, and analysts who ensure clients’ books are accurate and compliant with accounting principles.

The Secret Sauce: People and Technology

Dan attributes much of Ascent CFO Solutions’ success to two core pillars: their people and their technology-first approach.

People

Hiring the right team is crucial in a professional services firm. Dan describes a rigorous recruitment and vetting process focused not only on financial expertise but also on communication skills and cultural fit. Since fractional CFOs and accountants serve multiple clients, they must be adept at managing different client expectations, deadlines, and communication styles.

The company prioritizes:

Excellent communication and transparency

Respect and alignment with company values

Underpromising and overdelivering on commitments

Technology

Ascent CFO Solutions is a technology-first organization that leverages modern cloud-based tools to automate manual processes and save clients time and money. By connecting bank accounts directly to accounting software and integrating data from CRM and HR systems, they provide real-time dashboards and insights to clients.

Dan highlights their proprietary dashboarding solution, “Insights by CFO,” which empowers companies with up-to-date financial and operational data to make smarter decisions. This blend of human expertise and advanced technology creates a powerful service delivery model.

While AI and automation offer exciting possibilities, Dan notes that human oversight remains essential. AI can assist with tasks but cannot replace the nuanced judgment and verification required in finance and accounting.

Key Financial Priorities for Entrepreneurs

When working with clients, Dan consistently emphasizes the critical importance of cash flow management. Here are some of the key financial priorities he recommends entrepreneurs focus on:

1. Cash Flow Visibility and Scenario Planning

Understanding your cash flow risks and opportunities is fundamental. Entrepreneurs should develop financial models that allow them to run multiple scenarios — including best-case, worst-case, and most likely outcomes. This helps anticipate funding needs and operational adjustments.

2. Diversify Customer Base

Customer concentration is a significant risk. If one client accounts for a large percentage of revenue (e.g., 20-30%), losing that client could jeopardize business stability. Entrepreneurs should create contingency plans and actively seek to diversify their client portfolio.

3. Insurance and Risk Management

Proper insurance coverage is a safeguard against unexpected costs. Dan advises entrepreneurs to ensure they have adequate protection to mitigate financial risks.

4. Strategic Investment with Contingency Plans

Growth initiatives such as geographic expansion or new product lines require capital and carry risk. Entrepreneurs should model the financial impact of these investments and have backup plans if market acceptance falls short.

CEO Insights: Leading with Openness and Collaboration

Dan shares valuable advice for entrepreneurs and CEOs about leadership and mindset:

Be open to change and alternative viewpoints: Avoid surrounding yourself with only like-minded people. Diverse perspectives lead to better decision-making and innovation.

Lead by example: Demonstrate the behaviors and values you expect from your team.

Build a complementary team: Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and hire people who fill the gaps.

Embrace mentorship and coaching: No one has all the answers. Being open to learning from others accelerates growth.

Dan notes that these leadership traits developed over time through mentorship, coaching, and a willingness to experiment with new ideas and technologies.

Recommended Resources: Books and Personal Hacks

For entrepreneurs looking to deepen their knowledge, Dan recommends several classic business books:

Blue Ocean Strategy: Focuses on how to disrupt markets and create uncontested market space.

Traction by Gino Wickman: Introduces the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a framework for managing and scaling businesses.

Good to Great by Jim Collins: Explores what makes companies transition from good to great performance.

On a personal level, Dan credits having a long-term executive assistant (EA) as a key productivity hack. Delegating time management and prioritization to a trusted EA has allowed him to focus on strategic leadership and growth.

Final Thoughts: Running Your Own Race with Financial Clarity

Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. Dan’s overarching message is that understanding and managing cash flow is the fuel that powers your business race. Without clear financial visibility and risk planning, even great ideas can falter.

He encourages entrepreneurs to find their unique strengths and to build collaborative teams around them. By embracing technology, maintaining accurate financial data, and planning for multiple scenarios, business owners can confidently navigate uncertainties and seize growth opportunities.

Connect with Dan DeGolier and Ascent CFO Solutions

If you’re interested in learning more or need expert financial leadership for your business, Dan and his team are accessible through:

LinkedIn: Follow Ascent CFO Solutions for insightful content and updates.

Website: Visit ascentcfo.com to explore their services and contact the team.

With a growing team of 40 professionals, including 14 CFOs, Ascent CFO Solutions is well-equipped to support companies at various stages, especially those on a growth trajectory seeking strategic financial guidance.

Conclusion

Cash flow mistakes can cripple even the most promising ventures. By learning from seasoned experts like Dan DeGolier, entrepreneurs can avoid common pitfalls and build a strong financial foundation for sustainable growth. Key takeaways include the importance of accurate accounting, scenario-based forecasting, risk diversification, and embracing both people and technology in your financial operations.

Above all, successful CEOs lead with openness, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous learning. They understand that managing cash flow isn’t just about numbers — it’s about running a smart, resilient business that can weather challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

Set yourself up for success by prioritizing your financial health today and running your own race with confidence.

The post Cash Flow Mistakes Every Entrepreneur Must Avoid: Insights from Dan DeGolier appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

CEO Helps Sales Agents Boost Their Sales and Broaden Their Market

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:30:19 -0400

Listen to the Podcast: I AM CEO Podcast – IAM2474 – CEO Helps Sales Agents Boost their Sales and Broaden their Market

In the world of entrepreneurship and sales, success often comes from more than just hard work; it requires authenticity, alignment, and a deep connection to one's purpose. Kash Fadaie, founder of Fadaie Insurance, exemplifies this approach through his unique blend of spiritual insight and business acumen. Building an $11 million revenue agency from the ground up, Kash has transformed not only his own career but also the lives of the agents he mentors. This article explores Kash’s inspiring journey, his philosophy on integrating spirituality with business, and practical advice for entrepreneurs looking to thrive in competitive markets.

From Refugee to Resilient Entrepreneur: The Early Journey

Kash Fadaie's story begins with profound challenges and cultural transitions that shaped his resilience. Born in Iran in 1974, his family fled the political upheaval of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, settling first in Germany before moving to Florida, USA. These early life experiences of displacement and adaptation were difficult but foundational. Kash reflects, “Those adjustments, though difficult, were foundational in the decisions I would make later and who I am today.”

Rather than seeing hardship as an obstacle, Kash views it as preparation. He explains, “When you come through these things, they are actually not your foes; they’re your friends. They are your next level.” This mindset of gratitude and growth through adversity is a cornerstone of his philosophy.

The Power of Curiosity and Self-Knowledge

As a young boy, Kash was driven by a deep curiosity about life, purpose, and spirituality. He was fascinated by the concept of freedom—not just in the external world but within himself. This led him to explore diverse spiritual traditions, from the Bible to Zoroastrianism, Vedic teachings, Buddhism, Sufism, and shamanism. Through this exploration, one theme resonated profoundly: “Know thyself.”

Kash’s spiritual journey introduced him to meditation as a tool for accessing higher states of consciousness and pure awareness. He discovered that true freedom and power come from within, reached through practices that quiet the mind and open the soul. This inner work laid the foundation for his approach to business and life.

Belief to Knowing: The Evolution of Consciousness

Kash describes the progression from belief to knowledge as crucial in personal and professional development. “Belief is like a rocket booster,” he says. “You start with belief, but eventually, the belief has to fall off, and the rocket keeps going to the source—that’s knowledge and wisdom.” This transition from external faith to internal knowing is what empowers entrepreneurs to operate with clarity and confidence.

Entrepreneurial Beginnings: Building Businesses with Purpose

At just 13 years old, Kash started his first business—a grass-cutting service in Florida. This early experience ignited his passion for entrepreneurship. Over the years, he experimented with various ventures including car washes, produce businesses, souvenir stores, massage services, and even becoming a raw food chef. Each of these endeavors taught him vital lessons about resilience, adaptability, and service.

In 2004, Kash found his calling in the insurance industry. Starting as an agent in Southern California, he quickly realized that insurance combined his desire to serve others with his entrepreneurial spirit. By 2006, he launched Fadaie Insurance, an agency that has since grown to over $11 million in revenue.

The Secret Sauce: Merging Spirituality with Professional Life

What truly sets Kash apart is his integration of spiritual principles into his business. He emphasizes the importance of unifying professional work with spiritual practice, creating a higher vibrational frequency that naturally attracts clients and builds trust.

“When we unify all of our life to be spiritual practice—no separation—then we bring the divine into our work. The person receiving our service doesn’t know why, but they just want to be with us. There’s a love, a genuineness, a magnetic attraction.”

This authentic approach transforms sales from a chase into an attraction. It fosters a culture of benevolence, patience, and service within the team and the brand. The result is not only increased sales but also meaningful, lasting relationships with clients and team members.

Building a Culture of Benevolence and Patience

Kash’s leadership style emphasizes patience and long-term vision. Rather than rushing for quick wins, he cultivates an environment where values like patience and kindness shape every interaction. This shift in energy opens the heart chakra metaphorically, leading to higher vibrations and greater wealth attraction.

Why Insurance? A Noble and Recession-Proof Business

For entrepreneurs considering their next venture, Kash highlights insurance as an ideal industry. He points out several advantages:

Emotional Intelligence and Work Ethic: Success in insurance comes from grit, determination, and emotional intelligence rather than prior industry experience.

Recession-Proof: Insurance is essential; people always need coverage regardless of economic cycles.

Residual Income: Policies have long shelf lives, generating commissions for years through renewals.

Flexibility: The business can be run remotely, meeting clients via phone, email, or text.

Noble Work: Agents protect clients’ financial legacies, earning trust and respect.

Human Connection: Despite advances in AI, clients prefer human advisors for nuanced decisions.

Kash envisions franchising Fadaie Insurance to 10,000 locations in five years, empowering entrepreneurs to become CEOs and investors in their own right.

Essential Traits for Aspiring Franchisees

When selecting individuals to join his franchise network, Kash looks beyond insurance knowledge. He seeks entrepreneurs with:

Emotional Intelligence: The ability to understand and manage emotions effectively.

Work Ethic: Commitment to consistent effort and growth.

Obsession: An intense passion and dedication to their business, surpassing mere commitment.

He likens entrepreneurship to a spiritual practice where trials refine and purify the individual, much like gold being purified by fire. Accountability and daily discussions within the team help maintain focus and alignment.

Daily Routines: The Cornerstone of Success

One of Kash’s most practical and impactful recommendations is the power of daily routines. He advocates building strong morning, afternoon, and evening rituals that nurture mind, body, and spirit.

Starting with simple habits like exercise, meditation, and breathwork, routines can evolve to include fasting, journaling, and reading. The key is consistency and patience:

“You don’t have to have crazy DNA. What you can control is building the right habits and sticking to them. Once you taste the nectar—the benefit—you will double down and add more layers.”

Being around like-minded people who support growth and accountability further strengthens these habits, creating a virtuous cycle of improvement.

Presence Over Outcome: The True Secret to Fulfillment

Kash emphasizes the importance of being present in the journey rather than obsessing over the destination. This presence allows entrepreneurs to enjoy the process, learn from every step, and avoid burnout or frustration.

He shares a powerful insight:

“The journey itself is the bliss. The outcome you’re looking for is already at hand. When you stop obsessing about when it will happen and just do the work faithfully, success naturally unfolds.”

This mindset encourages letting go of rigid expectations and trusting that the highest possibilities will manifest.

Defining the CEO: A Role of Trust and Service

To Kash, being a CEO is more than a title—it is a sacred responsibility. It means being entrusted with a mission to create freedom and serve others at the highest level.

“Being a CEO means putting all your chips in, being willing to be transformed, and becoming a conduit for benevolence and servant leadership. It’s about carrying out a mission to create freedom in people’s lives.”

This definition beautifully encapsulates the integration of spiritual purpose with leadership and business success.

Connecting with Kash Fadaie

Kash invites entrepreneurs and seekers of higher consciousness to connect with him. Whether you’re interested in learning insurance, exploring spiritual growth, or becoming part of the Fadaie Insurance franchise network, Kash offers guidance based on two decades of experience.

To reach Kash, visit Fadaie Insurance, email him at cash@kaiinsurance.com, or engage through the chat feature on his website.

Final Thoughts

Kash Fadaie’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, curiosity, and the integration of spirituality with entrepreneurship. His approach teaches us that success is not merely about sales or revenue but about aligning with our highest selves, serving others authentically, and embracing the journey with presence and patience.

For entrepreneurs seeking to deepen their understanding of what it means to be a CEO and build a thriving business rooted in purpose, Kash’s story and insights offer invaluable lessons.

If you are inspired by this journey and want to explore more about becoming a CEO and building your business with intention, visit the I AM CEO community or browse through resources on business planning and entrepreneur podcasts to fuel your growth.

Explore More Resources for Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to expand their knowledge and stay updated with valuable content, exploring comprehensive resources can be highly beneficial. To access a wide range of articles, posts, and guides that cover various aspects of entrepreneurship, leadership, and business growth, visit the CB Nation sitemap. This sitemap provides organized links to multiple categories, ensuring you find relevant and insightful information to support your journey.

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Why Entrepreneurs Need Harmony, Not Hustle

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:07:38 -0400

In the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship, the constant push for hustle often overshadows the vital need for harmony. Asmâa Methqal, a global business consultant and the creator of the Fire & Flow leadership methodology, emphasizes that true success lies in balancing action with intuition. This powerful approach not only ignites businesses but also nurtures holistic leadership.

In this blog, the reader will be let into the secrets of Asmâa on how entrepreneurs manage to maintain a good balance of both their personal and professional lives resulting in them being fulfilled as well as successful.

Understanding the Fire & Flow Methodology

The process of Asmâa is Fire & Flow is applied is to enable these leaders reconnect with their major aim and resolve the intricacies of contemporary business. The main parts of this way are: Fire, representing action and execution, and Flow, which symbolizes trust in one's intuition and inner strength.

The pandemic saw a good number of entrepreneurs who had to go through emotional disconnectedness that prevented them from being their true selves. According to Asmâa, the curfew which was the major part of the pandemic stimulates individuals to stay still that finally letting them realize a truth: one should firstly focus on being and then do it. The new outlook is visible but is necessary for one to dream and to succeed.

The Importance of Self-Leadership

The subject of Asmâa is self-leadership, which is the key to her teachings. According to her, there are indeed many people who follow the career paths predetermined by society rather than their own wishes. As a result, they become unwelcome and sometimes destituted people. Asmâa brings up the fact that entrepreneurs have to face the difficult question about their actual selves. The question that is, “If there were no limits, who would you be?” This question acts as a stimulus for the realization of what you are on earth for.

The path of self-identification is about getting rid of the burden of external validation and accepting one's distinct advantages. Asmâa tells her story about how she had to climb the wrong ladder in her profession only to find out that the real happiness is in the conformity of their actions with their inner essence.

Creating Sacred White Space

Among the main practices Asmâa promotes the formation of sacred white space in our timetables. This means purposely taking time out to stop and reflect, which is a great way for people to get back to their own inner wisdom. In a society that is often very busy doing things and seemingly too busy to just be, the simple act of just being could open up a whole new world of understanding and clarity.

According to Asmâa, it is best to start with small steps—like spending a few minutes each day to do this practice. Individuals can deepen their connection to intuition and creativity by the act of sending a message to the self that this time is valuable.

Embracing the Duality of Being and Doing

Business owners regularly find themselves caught in a conflict between being efficient and giving up the pressure of existence. Asmâa brings up that it is essential to find a fair balance between the two states. Instead of seeing them as opposing, she supports the inclusion of both in one's daily life.

The state of equilibrium that allows people to grow both emotionally and professionally, therefore, will bring about more joy to their business voyages. The entrepreneurs, who choose to rely on their gut feelings and love who they are, will be the ones to make available to the company an environment that nurtures creativity and innovation.

Transformational Insights for Entrepreneurs

Through her work experience, Asmâa has come to realize the impactful ability of self-acceptance and being true to oneself. She motivates enterprisers to express themselves allowing no apologies, having noticed that their diversity in idea is what distinguishes them in the market.

Innovation of the heart and authenticity of the leader are the two things that entrepreneurs need to have in order to influence others and form valuable links. Asmâa's last piece of advice is spot on: to go within and discover your essence. This path of self-awareness is the grounding of meaningful and lasting success both at work and in daily life.

Conclusion

The journey towards harmonious entrepreneurship is not a destination but a continuous process of self-discovery and growth. By integrating the principles of Fire & Flow, creating sacred white space, and embracing the duality of being and doing, entrepreneurs can unlock their full potential and lead with purpose.

For more insights on achieving balance and harmony in your entrepreneurial journey, check out Asmâa Methqal's work and explore the CEO Hacks for additional resources and strategies.

Podcast Episode: https://iamceo.co/2024/12/13/iam2314-global-business-consultant-empowers-leaders-and-businesses-to-unlock-their-potential/

LinkedIn: Asmâa Methqal

Website: Fire and Flow with Asmâa

Instagram: iamasmaa

Previous Episode: iam612-educator-harnesses-teams-collective-strengths

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Founder Empowers Future Female Leaders in Food & Beverage Industry

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:56:27 -0500

Christie Lawler is the founder and owner of CJL Consulting, a beverage marketing agency, and the WITI Group, a nonprofit female leadership in the food and beverage industry.

She is also the host of the Lawler Out Loud Mixing Up the Mainstream Podcast and an advocate on several industry boards.

Christie is recognized for her leadership, including being named “Innovator of the Year” (2022) and “Most Influential Beverage Strategist” (2021).

Christie discusses the emotional and relational benefits of the initiative, the challenges faced during conferences, and the importance of resilience and problem-solving.

Moreover, she emphasizes persistence and never misses deadlines, describing herself as a realistic optimist.

Website: CJL Consulting

LinkedIn: Christie Lawler

Previous Episode: iam823-founder-supports-national-hospitality-industry-and-future-female-leaders

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Podcast Interview: https://iamceo.co/2024/12/06/iam2307-founder-empowers-future-female-leaders-in-food-beverage-industry/

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CEO Helps Business Owners Focus on High Impact Activities

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:46:45 -0500

Frank Goodman is a seasoned business consultant and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience.

Frank has worked with startups, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies, holding degrees in computer engineering and systems engineering.

Frank shares the importance of understanding where clients want to go and the external factors that might affect their businesses.

He emphasizes the need for thorough assessment rather than quick fixes.

Frank discusses the challenge of businesses adapting to tools rather than the tools fitting their processes.

He believes technology should enhance existing workflows without forcing companies to change their fundamental operations.

The conversation highlights the importance of buy-in from the team for any technology or process changes to be effective.

Website: ROI for Pros

LinkedIn: Frank Goodman

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

I AM CEO Podcast Interview: https://iamceo.co/2024/10/19/iam2259-ceo-and-founder-helps-business-owners-clear-their-plate-of-responsibilities-to-focus-on-high-impact-activities/

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Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 5. OPERATIONS / LEGAL

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:09:20 -0500

In this episode, Gresham discusses pillar number 5 and the process of drilling down into the various business pillars. He mentions that they have taken the insights and hacks from over 1600 episodes and condensed them into 16 themes, which they now refer to as pillars.

Gresham emphasizes the importance of identifying and focusing on a single pillar that can drive growth in business. He discusses the importance of focusing on various pillars in business, including entrepreneurship, strategy, products/services, people, operations/legal, visibility, finance, and technology. They emphasize the significance of understanding operations and legal aspects in structuring a business.

In addition, Gresham highlights the benefits of systematizing tasks and operations for a better working environment for both the team and clients.

http://cbnation.co/pillar
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Full Interview:

Transcription:

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Intro 00:00

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO Podcast, and this is a special I AM CEO Podcast because we're gonna be focusing on the 8 business pillars. I hope you get to enjoy taking a lot of these different pillars that came from the 1600+ episodes we did at the I AM CEO Podcast, which became the 16 themes, which eventually now became the 8 pillars that can help you level up your business.

And, really, what we're trying to do is increase the business success rate, and this is going to eventually become a course. So you hear some of these snippets actually be in that course and that library of content and information we're gonna put together to help you level up. So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:38

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh here, and this is the episode where we drill down a lot more on pillar number 5. And there's many different pillars in business. If you just listened to this, we took the 1600+ episodes. We drilled down into that. Had hundreds of hacks, hundreds of nuggets that we accrued from each of the episodes. We took those. They became the 16 themes, which we originally called pillars, but they actually became themes. And then we really want to drill down on those 8 pillars. The reason that we chose 8 pillars is because we started to do a little bit more homework and research into business in general, but also into the things that were consistently coming up when we were doing these interviews.

[restrict paid=”true”]

And we thought that these pillars were gonna be a little bit more foundational, not necessarily because they tell you all the things about business, but because they're very over encompassing. So that if you could potentially focus on maybe one pillar for a year, you could potentially see a lot of growth if you select the correct pillar. But it's also important to understand how interconnected they are because as you focus on one, you're deciding not to focus on another potentially. And if you decide to split your time between both, then understand you're not going to see the potential growth if you can find and identify the quote unquote one thing or the one pillar that could, really drill things, drive things forward even more.

So with that being said, we're gonna focus on and drill down into pillar number 5 with this operation/legal. It was just operations and then that legal part is obviously a huge part of business and entrepreneurship. So we wanted to make sure that it was under something that was one of the core parts of business, sometimes the quote unquote less sexy part of business. The business the part of business that is extremely important, but also is something that, maybe doesn't get the airplay, the fascination. You don't see a lot of TikToks that are around the legal part of business or the operations.

Although, they are very sexy if you're running a very strong business. So keep in mind that as I drill down a little bit more into this specific pillar, we wanna keep in mind that there are many other pillars, 8 other or seven other pillars, 8 total, that you want to make sure that you're focusing on. And those pillars, I'm gonna go down the line. Entrepreneurship and journey is gonna be your 1^st one. Strategy is gonna be your 2^nd one. The 3^rd one's going to be offering/your products and services. Number 4 is people in the human part of business. Number 5, we're gonna talk about a little bit more today, which is operations/legal. Then we're gonna drill down a little bit more into visibility.

Then number 7 is gonna be financial. And then finally, we're gonna cap everything off with technology. So understanding operations and legal part is really gonna be how you're structuring your business and what that looks like, how things are moving along. Now one of the most exciting things you can you can have is you start out with your idea. You realize that, okay, I have this business idea. I have this problem, this opportunity that I wanna serve, and you strategize around it. You figure out exactly how you're going to make that happen, and then you produce the idea or the concept, or maybe you get to test out your product and service.

And then you understand that this is how we're going to serve that human part of what we're doing. And you start to do that one time, two time, three times. You start to do that at a certain level. And then you realize you need operations because it's essentially going to be the engine that's going to allow you to serve the clients that you're working with. And so you really wanna understand the fundamentals of operations and systems and what they that looks like. Of course, you wanted to make sure that you're operating and optimizing those processes and systems.

And, obviously, we're gonna drill down a little bit more into pillar 8 around technology. But for a lot of businesses, not necessarily all businesses, technology is gonna play a huge role. So I think it's important to mention that, of course, because that could be one of the most impactful things, I think. And that's one of the reasons that it went from 7 to 8 pillars largely because of the the impact of technology. So know that automation, a lot of technological tools, things like project management software, all these things gonna play a really big part in terms of understanding exactly how to keep the trains moving, how to keep the trains moving consistently, and how to make sure that there's less spillage, for lack of a better term, and there's that same experience that you're providing throughout the entire journey for a client or customer, but also internally for your team.

How do you make sure that the business doesn't revolve around one person? It's gonna be your operations. It's gonna be your systems. It's gonna be those SOPs, those things you put in place to make sure that you are consistently growing the business into where it ultimately needs to be. So keep in mind that this flows over many different aspects of running a business, everything from supply chain management and those best practices to, like I mentioned, the legal considerations, understanding the way that you incorporate your business or actually even incorporating your business, how you, create, that structure and and what that looks like.

And we're gonna drill down a little bit more to the financial piece and and pillar number 7. But know that a lot of times the structure that you're creating does impact the financial aspect of your business, the amount of revenue that you're bringing in, and kind of, like, what that's going to look like. But also making sure that you're you're fully protected and what that looks like. And a lot of times when you hear attorneys, and by no means am I an attorney, but they'll talk a lot around making sure that you have your trademark, your patents, all those things in place.

Also know that it's probably I don't even know if it's more important, but I know it's also important to make sure that you're enforcing those trademarks and those patents because people can infringe upon them. And you wanna make sure that you're setting yourself up as much as possible to succeed. So make sure you have all those things that are in place, understanding business law, having any compliance checklists or things that you need to get done, agreements and contracts and templates, having those template templates, but also making sure that you're structuring those so that even if you're having conversations with someone that is extremely close, a friend, a relative, that you have a contract in place is going to be extremely important.

No matter who you're communicating with because or you're coming to agreement with might be a better way to say that because you wanna make sure that you're protected and that person's name is protected as well too. So know that's a big part as well too. Risk management strategies is another big part, of course, like I mentioned a little bit. Supply chain management is gonna be a really big part. So keep in mind that we have this offering, this product and servicing that you're doing to to make that impact. How are you, from an operation standpoint, going to ensure that that experience is going to happen?

No operations all can often speak to the idea of bringing on new clients or customers. But there could be operations around every single aspect of business, and often we don't realize that even those of us that provide custom products and services have certain aspects of what we do to be operations. And what I wanted to do is draw that a little bit deeper. We talked a little bit around the last pillar of the human part of the people part of business. Understand, like, how powerful it has been, hearing over and over again the power of morning routines. That it doesn't necessarily mean that there's a specific way that you have to do your morning routine, but just to be able to set yourself up for success is going to be huge.

And the reason I bring that up here is because when you're thinking about operations, of course, think about your business, but also consider hiring. Also consider how you're marketing your business or what the process is when there's a high rate client. All those things can be operations and SOPs that are put in place to make sure there is that somewhat consistent experience for everyone. But keep in mind that you also can create the operations in your life as well too. And when we talk about filling up your cup, when we talk about making sure your oxygen mask is on, as an individual and as a leader, understanding that human part, know that the operations and what you do on a regular basis also plays a really good part of through that too.

So with that being said, that's pillar number 5. Your operations, your legal part is gonna be such a big thing. Many people will argue while it's the least sec one of the least sexiest things, and maybe financial can give it a run for its money for a lot of people if you're talking about accounting and things like that. But keep in mind, it's the thing that might really open up that opportunity for you to scale the processes, the systems, the operations. Having those things in place can really take things to an entirely different level.

So this is, Gresh signing out. Remember, your operations are huge personally, professionally, and all the things that you're doing. So as we drill down more and more and more and provide more content in our community and, of course, in our library around what and how to improve your processes and your operations. Know that there's a lot of CEO hacks that help out with that, whether it's project management software. Just know that it sometimes could be one of the biggest things that you can lean into that's actually going to give you more time. And it allows you to sometimes invest that time by having to create processes, systems, operations.

But in the long run, it ends up creating those, consistent practices that allow you to be able to not work as much on or in the business as you are maybe presently and to focus more on working on the business. So think about what things can I systematize, what things can I create operations for, because it's only going to to create a a better environment, for you and the people that, you're impacting? And that's talking about your team, but also your clients as well.

Outro 10:11

Hello. Hello. This is Gresh again, and I hope you enjoyed that special episode of the I AM CEO Podcast. Just like I mentioned in the beginning, we're really trying to laser focus on these 8 pillars to show you as a builder how you can leverage these 8 pillars and really level up there so it helps you level up your business and organization.

So hope you enjoyed this episode, and definitely please check out the show notes so you can learn more about the pillar, learn more about the person that I guested on their episode, and, of course, learn more a little bit more about us as well too. This is Gresh signing out. Hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

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The post Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 5. OPERATIONS / LEGAL appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 4. PEOPLE = HUMAN PART OF BUSINESS

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:06:45 -0500

In this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast, Gresh delves into the eight foundational pillars that can help elevate your business.

Derived from over 1600 episodes and copious insights from CEOs, these pillars were condensed from 16 themes into a course aiming to boost business success rates.

This episode specifically highlights the fourth pillar: People and the Human Part of Business.

Gresh emphasizes the importance of recognizing the human element in business, touching on aspects such as recruitment, talent management, and maintaining a conducive environment for both employees and strategic partners.

He also underscores the necessity of self-care for entrepreneurs to avoid burnout and ensure sustained success.

The discussion aims to remind listeners that balancing the needs of the business and its people is crucial for long-term growth and impact.

http://cbnation.co/pillar
http://community.cbnation.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Full Interview:

Transcription:

The full transcription is only available to CBNation Library Members. Sign up today!

Intro 00:00

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast. And this is a special I AM CEO podcast because we're going to be focusing on the eight business pillars. I hope you get to enjoy and take in a lot of these different pillars that came from the 1600 plus episodes we did at the I AM CEO podcast, which became the 16 themes, which eventually now became the eight pillars that can help you level up your business.

And really what we're trying to do is increase the business success rate. And this is going to eventually become a course. So you hear some of these snippets actually be in that course in that library of content and information, we're going to put together to help you level up. So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:38

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh here. And now we are talking about pillar number four people slash the human part of business. And I often say over and over again in episodes, you never want to forget about the human part of business.

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And if you're just listening to this, we're going through the eight pillars of of business really that I've gleaned from doing over 1600 episodes. Again, we took the 1600 episodes, 1600 plus episodes, and they became hundreds of CEO hacks and CEO nuggets and information we've learned from CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners. And then it drilled down into the 16, what I called pillars then, but it's now the themes.

The themes that were consistent around business and one of them is, don't forget about the human part of business. And that is what brought us to the eight pillars. The eight pillars are really those foundational elements that are going to help you to level up within your organization.

And what I want to do with each of these episodes is drill down a little bit further into each of these eight pillars, not to give you a, all the information because you can consistently learn about each of these pillars. And these pillars aren't definitely separated. They aren't siloed. They are very much so interconnected.

But sometimes if you have the opportunity to really focus on one, it could be and have that dramatic impact upon your business. So with this one, we're going to focus on. People in the human part, that's pillar number four.

So just give you a little bit more of a recap. If you haven't listened before, the first pillar was entrepreneurship and focusing on the journey. The second one was strategy. The third was your offering or your product or service.

The fourth is going to be people slash the human part, which is what we're going to talk about today. Then we're going to talk in. A little bit more about operations slash the legal side. Number six, we're going to go into visibility seven financial. We're going to close everything out with the biggest one, I think. And one of the most impactful ones I think is technology.

So with each of these different pillars, we're going to draw down more and more and more so you can learn more about what it's like. To be a CEO entrepreneur and business owner and how you can make that impact into your business and what that looks like.

So one of the biggest things that we often hear, but sometimes we don't internalize entirely is understanding the human part of business. And the reason I wanna say human, rather than people who can often hear about human capital, you hear about how important it's to make sure that you're bringing on the right people, you're creating an environment for them to excel and for them to succeed.

But we often forget about the human part. When we're talking about the clients that we want to connect with, we just want to take our product to service and just tell them this is what they need. And this is why they need it without actually having that connection, that interaction, that communication that comes from even some of the other pillars, the marketing, the sales, the visibility part.

We often just say, okay, this is what we are great at. This is what we've created. This is why it's cool. And forget about That human part and how we're actually connecting with the people that we ultimately want to serve. So that's one of the really big things we want to try to take into account as we're thinking about that human part.

But we, of course, want to keep in mind that recruitment, talent acquisition, making sure that we're getting the right people are the right butts in the right seat is going to be something that's very important. And then when we get them there, are they engaged? Are they staying? Are they growing? Just all that about creating a great environment for the people that are close to you.

But also know that the people part does include people that you're connected with. So yeah, That's everything about building a strong team. The team we often think means employees or sometimes contractors, but the team also means strategic relationships. It also means mentors. It also means consultants that you might have or board members or whatever it might be that are going to be those.

human parts that are pouring into your business. So make sure that you're keeping that in mind. Leadership and management also play a really big part in this as well as far as like being able to create that environment and that culture for you to succeed. But understand that, that could be one of your most impactful aspects of your business by getting the right people.

You can really level up your organization, but sometimes not getting the right people can actually have the opposite effect as well, too. So It's so important to forget about that human part and to not forget about that human part and to keep that in mind and understand how important the talent the resources, the people that are in place are going to be in terms of helping you to grow.

Now, one of the things that I haven't really drilled down on one of the themes that we had, one of those 16 themes was not forgetting about the I and team or realizing that there is no I and team. And that was very important because as you start to grow, you want to make sure you're creating an environment, a culture where everybody's going to have that opportunity to really excel.

And you're putting the greater good for lack of a better term above your individual goods. And that's for everybody that's on the team. So you want to definitely create that environment. One of the other themes that we had is that There is an I in WIN and so when you're trying to create that environment in order for you to succeed and excel, it's so important for you to not forget about the you not forget that you also are a human and you also are important to be able to help the business to excel.

So putting your oxygen mask on first. Specially for those people that really grasp and really understand that entrepreneurship part about serving and being able to support people. It's so important to not forget about that human part because you don't want to get into a place where your business is not going to have the opportunity to accelerate and make the impact it could because you're facing burnout.

Or because You haven't created a great environment for yourself to excel because you're not doing the things that will allow you to continue to run the marathon that is entrepreneurship.

So all those things are very much focused on you realizing that you're a human as well. So it doesn't mean necessarily that you're Always going to necessarily put yourself first, but I think it's very important for those people that may be skewed more towards givers that give tremendously from everything that they do.

They're always thinking about others to really start to think a little bit more creatively on how you're giving to start to think a little bit more creative on that, how you can create a win, lose or lose win, but how can you create win, win, win, win, win scenarios for your team.

And keep in mind one of those Wins is going to be you making sure your cup is full, making sure you have your oxygen mask on and making sure that you are making that impact. So definitely don't forget about the human part of a business. And of course, we're drilling down more and more and more into our community and the library and all the information that we're providing so that you can learn more and more and more on what that looks like and how you can make that impact.

But keep in mind that I really struggled with if I wanted to put this first, because I think it's something that we will gloss over, especially ourselves more than anything else. So as people that are givers know that you can, you can, you can serve others and you can also serve yourself. And don't forget by serving people, by serving humans, you also are human as well, too.

So do not forget about yourself. So this is Gresh signing out. This is pillar number four people slash the human part of business. So don't forget that and make sure that you are keeping that top of mind. As I mentioned, you can visit everything on our site cbnation.co/pillars to find out more about the pillars and all the awesome things that we're creating around that.

But keep in mind that These things can help you to level up in your business. And we're going to draw down more and more and more into each of those other pillars. So stay tuned.

Outro 08:07

Hello, hello. This is Gresh again, and I hope you enjoyed that special episode of the I AM CEO podcast. Just like I mentioned in the beginning, we're really trying to laser focus on these eight pillars and show you as a builder, how you can leverage these eight pillars and really level up there.

So it helps you level up your business and organization. So hope you enjoyed this episode. And definitely please check out the show notes. So you can learn more about the pillar.

This is Gresh signing out. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

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The post Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 4. PEOPLE = HUMAN PART OF BUSINESS appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 3. OFFERING – PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:03:37 -0500

In this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast, Gresh dives deep into the eight essential business pillars derived from over 1600 episodes and 16 key themes, which now became 8 business pillars.

The episode focuses on understanding and enhancing your business offering, highlighting the importance of seeing your product or service as a means of providing impactful transformations to clients.

Gresh outlines the crucial business foundations such as strategy, people, operations, visibility, finance, and technology, emphasizing their interconnectedness and how they help improve business success rates.

Additionally, he stresses the significance of understanding the entire customer journey and the value you bring to their lives.

This episode is a precursor to a more detailed course aimed at helping businesses level up.

http://cbnation.co/pillar
http://community.cbnation.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Full Interview:

Transcription:

The full transcription is only available to CBNation Library Members. Sign up today!

Intro 00:00

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast. And this is a special I AM CEO podcast because we're going to be focusing on the eight business pillars. I hope you get to enjoy and take in a lot of these different pillars that came from the 1600 plus episodes we did at the I AM CEO podcast, which became the 16 themes, which eventually now became the eight pillars that can help you level up your business.

And really what we're trying to do is increase the business success rate. And this is going to eventually become a course. So you hear some of these snippets actually be in that course. And that library of content and information we're going to put together to help you level up. So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:37

What is your offering? How are you making an impact into the lives of people or even organizations. That's what this pillar kind of really drills down. So if you listen into previous episodes, we talked about entrepreneurship and journey. We talked about strategy right now we're drilling down into offering or your product or service.

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I'm going to go more into. Pillar number four, which is people slash the human part. Number five is going to be operations slash legal. Then we're going to go into number six, which is visibility seven financial, and then eight is technology.

So going into each of these aspects of business and each of these foundations, it's not anything more than being able to arm people with a little bit more insight and information to the complexity of business, not necessarily how.

All the different aspects are siloed, but actually how they're very much so intertwined and how you want to have greater awareness around all those things, because they're very much so, interconnected and they depend on one another. Just, if you want to check out CEO hack, check out this book called Range.

And the kind of idea behind it is that the people that are able to have a range of different experiences and perspectives are going to be able to solve the problems of tomorrow. And it's often because there is a world where everything is becoming so much more specialized. You hear it so many times and even us with our digital marketing company.

We going back and forth about whether or not we should specialize on a specific industry. And there's pros and cons of each. A lot of it dials into exactly what we talked about in the previous pillar, which is around strategy. What is the strategy of the business? Like, how do you define success?

What does success look like? And that could be different things for different people. But because it didn't necessarily align with our strategy, that wasn't something that I necessarily wanted to do and nothing that we felt very strongly compelled to do.

But, what we wanted to draw down is really start to understand why you're doing the things that you're doing. Often when people start businesses, when they have that napkin and they're writing down the ideas they're learning more about entrepreneurship.

When they're going into the strategy of what exactly you're doing, they find themselves saying, okay, now how do I do this? How do I package this? And that's really what the offering is like, what are you offering To potential clients and customers so that you can make the impact in their lives and their businesses, or what transformation are you ultimately trying to achieve?

Now, we're going to drill down a little bit more into the next pillar on the next episode, which is the human part of business. But what I really wanted to do is make sure that you understand that a lot of times people want these things to lead to some types of type of transformation. Often your product and service that you're talking about is not the thing that you're actually offering.

Usually it's something else. If you are a fitness trainer, while you're trying to help people lose weight, gain muscle whatever that might be. And however, we're so often like looking at that, if you're, doing nutrition planning or you're planning or you're doing meal prep or something along those lines, you're typically not doing the thing that you think that you're doing.

What you're doing is you're providing some type of transformation. So what is this transformation? This transformation for the fitness coach could be helping people to feel more Life within who they are so that it could positively impact their wives, their spouses, it could be their sons and daughters to help them to show up better at work.

All these things could be results of being able to provide that transformation. But the big thing is that you want to really start to drill down on the impact that you're making. And a lot of times you do that by not just saying I provide nutrition planning or I do meal prep or I potentially add a debt to your house or I fix leaky pipes so that you don't have to have issues.

You're providing some type of transformation. The key is like, how do you dial into that? How you tap into that? So, of course, generally speaking, you're going to talk about your products and services and what exactly you do, because at the end of the day, you want to make sure. That you are able to find the people that you're able to serve.

If somebody has a leaky pipe, it doesn't make sense for you to maybe say, okay, I don't want to talk about your leaky pipe. I want to talk about how we're providing transformation in your house. No, not necessarily, not in that case. Exactly. So what you want to understand that these are ways that you are able to have a communication with clients, but it also is a way for you to understand exactly what you're doing and the impact that you're making.

The problem that you're ultimately because what you're doing when people call you is you're providing them peace of mind, that peace of mind is allowing them to work on other aspects of their business is allowing them to spend more time with their spouse, their Children is giving them an opportunity to not have to worry about that aspect of the business so they can work on other things.

So are you saving them time? Are you giving them the mental piece that they're ultimately achieving. These are things that you want to make sure that you are communicating because that's ultimately what you're doing while you are definitely, obviously, of course, fixing that pipe while you are, of course, helping people to lose weight.

Understand that you're allowing that person to be able to be confident enough to walk into their boss's office or virtually walk into their boss's office and ask for a raise. That confidence is something that you will see pours into each aspect of their life because things are not siloed.

So you want to dread out more and more and more and understand that human part, which of course I'm going to dive into and delve down a little bit later.

But know that this is going to be all around your product and service and the offering that you're providing. So make sure you define exactly what that is and what that looks like.

A lot of times because we're in digital marketing, we will ask, actually ask clients to rank their services as far as like the ones that are making the most impact, what drives in the most revenue for you.

Because often when you have a better understanding of not just one aspect of what you're providing, but the catalog of what you're providing. You're able to understand if one is more valuable than another per se, or if something is maybe a little bit more experimental. So maybe you're testing or trying something out.

Or maybe you paid attention to clients or your product and service offerings going to be evolving, changing, and improving. So you want to pay attention to those things and know that it can evolve and change. And definitely, of course, give you a space and time to be able to test those things out.

And of course, to be able to improve those. And you want to, of course, be able to have those conversations with clients and customers, but know that it comes back to you. Like, how are you solving that problem? This is, you had a problem, you understood in entrepreneurship, it's all around problem-solving.

This is how you package it. This is how you let people know. These are my coaching services. This is my public speaking business, or potentially this is how exactly I'm providing coaching services. HVAC services, or potentially I am that plumber and I'm going to come through and provide emergency support, or we're going to be on the offensive and we're actually going to help you before you have to call us.

Or going to be on call if you have any tech issues, or you want to redesign your website, or you're trying to get more business through Google ads, whatever that might be. It might be packaged in different ways, but no, this is a transformation that you're provided just Don't forget about that human part, because that's going to come through and everything that you're doing.

But also know that you want to make sure of course that you're providing the product or service, but you want to really dial into the full journey of your potential client and customer. And now this touches a little bit more on that visibility piece, but know that. As you understand more about that journey that they're going through, you're going to be able to serve them even better because that's what happens at the end of the day.

Product and service services for you to serve. So no, this is offering as a way for you to serve. So if you understand that before someone calls or reaches out to a fitness instructor, that maybe your ideal client and customers have a little bit of. apprehension or even fear around health, wellness, and fitness is going to change the way that you position yourself.

It may even change your offering may even change what you call your offering. You might not want to call it a bootcamp if you're dealing with people that haven't gone through that process, but maybe you do want to do that because you want to really hammer home that the transformation that you're going to provide, we're going to bootcamp, we're going to make this, we're going to make, we're going to get you into the way that you need to, so that you can have that transformation in your life.

You just want to understand each of those aspects and understand what that process looks like before the person calls, when the person's, when you're serving that client, whether it be one time or on a continual basis, and they didn't even have to end after the end. And after that, and after that, and after that.

Just think about these apps that you might have on your phone when you're getting a message from Starbucks that there's a potential sale. And I don't, I don't go to Starbucks that much, so I'm not sure if there's actually sales. I'm sure there are, but you're getting points. So maybe you're 25 points away from getting a free local frappuccino or whatever that might be here with drink a choice.

The point being is that you have a really good idea on what that journey looks like and how that journey extends beyond when they're buying your potential products and services. So again, the more you can understand what that offering is, the more you can provide more value and value doesn't always have to mean your product service.

As we'll talk on, talk about a little bit later. And in each of the pillars, you can provide value with the visibility that you're sharing the things that you're doing, the way that you're getting in front of your clients and customers. So just know and understand that that whole kind of customer journey and make sure that you're able to see and evaluate how you're able to provide value according to that journey.

But that's pillar number three you're offering product to service. Of course, we're going to drill down more into each of the other eight seven, eight total. Pillars and see how that could potentially help you out with your business. But my goal here is just to give you a little bit more of an idea on what that looks like and how you could potentially provide that impact.

And of course, us be able to position and drill down on the content that you're listening to. So that it. We'll help support each of these aspects. So you can know exactly what you're looking for. And of course you can check out our community that we're relaunching so that you can draw down a little bit more on each of those aspects and what that looks like.

So this is Gresh signing out. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day. Don't forget you are providing service to people that you ultimately want to work with. Think about how you're able to solve that problem, how you're able to make their day better.

And then that's going to allow you to be where they're searching for and think of you when they're trying to do that. Thanks. And I'll talk to you soon.

OUTRO 11:11

Hello. Hello. This is Gresh again, and I hope you enjoyed that special episode of the I AM CEO podcast. Just like I mentioned in the beginning, we're really trying to laser focus on these eight pillars and show you as a builder how you can leverage these eight pillars and really level up there.

So it helps to level up your business and organization. So hope you enjoyed this episode Definitely please check out the show notes. So you can learn more about the pillar.

This is Gresh signing out. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

[/restrict]

The post Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 3. OFFERING – PRODUCTS/SERVICES appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 2. STRATEGY

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 04:17:56 -0500

In this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast, Gresh dives into the critical pillar of ‘strategy' as part of an eight-pillar framework for successful business development.

Gresh emphasizes the importance of having a strategy to turn ideas into actionable plans and achieve business goals.

He outlines the entire set of eight business pillars—entrepreneurship, strategy, product/service offering, people, operations/legal, visibility, finance, and technology—offering a high-level overview of each.

Gresh also discusses the significance of market understanding, SMART goals, and KPIs to improve execution and achieve long-term success. Tune in to learn how to leverage these pillars and elevate your business from a builder to a luminary.

http://cbnation.co/pillar
http://community.cbnation.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Full Interview:

Transcription:

The full transcription is only available to CBNation Library Members. Sign up today!

Intro 00:00

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast, and this is a special I AM CEO podcast because we're going to be focusing on the eight business pillars. I hope you get to enjoy kind of take in a lot of these different pillars that came from the 1600 plus episodes we did at the I AM CEO podcast, which became the 16 themes, which eventually now became the eight business pillars. That can help you level up your business.

And really what we're trying to do is increase the business success rate. And this is going to eventually become a course. So you hear some of these snippets actually be in that course and that library of content and information we're going to put together to help you level up.

So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:38

All right. So for this next episode, I'm going to focus on the pillar of strategy. So you've gone through the first pillar, you have entrepreneurship and the journey. You understand a little bit about strategy, which I'm going to talk about today.

Then we'll go a little bit more into your offering your product or service. Number four is going to be the people, the human part of business. Number five is going to be operation slash legal side. Number six is going to be visibility. Seven financial eight is technology.

So I just want to give you a quick recap about each of the different pillars as I go down and delve a little bit deeper into those. Of course, I'm always looking for feedback. If you feel like a pillar is missing or something that should be nestled into something, please definitely do this.

But this is just going to be a quick high level overview of the strategy pillar. And the reason that strategy is so important is because there's a quote vision without action is merely a dream.

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And one of the things that I think sets really entrepreneurial people apart is it's not necessarily coming up with the idea. And even me, when I started my business I Remember one of the jobs that I left one of my bosses said that you're definitely an ideas person. And I took it and I still take it as Hey, I'm more than an ideas person.

I'm an execution person. So I've been trying to really focus on execution, but know that I am an ideas person. I have breakout room. A tremendous amount of ideas. I can't even execute on all the ideas that I have. So that's why it's so important that you have that strategy in place so that you know this is exactly how you're going to execute on what those things actually are.

And I think that is what's going to separate people because you can have ideas. You can literally go into Technology, which is another pillar in all these different tools and softwares that are coming about with A. I. But even things that have existed before to help you to develop what those ideas are going to be.

The question is, how are you going to execute it? And execution is all around the strategy. The strategy is basically, I think, creating a clear Idea of how exactly you're going to reach the goals and aspirations that you have within your business. So think about things such as developing a strategy, developing a business plan.

Even though there's obviously a lot of. Pros and cons of being able to create a business plan. Just know how important it is to create a plan so that you increase your likelihood of success. There's even statistics that say the more time that you spend writing down your goals or writing down your vision is going to increase the likelihood of that success happen.

Know that many things, go into that you're planning process where you're trying to understand exactly where you want to be. 1 of the big things that I talk about a lot around when I say everybody is a media company, when you go through that course and understand exactly what that looks like.

You understand that I often say that you can have the exact same business as somebody else, which you might execute it in a completely different way largely because you have different goals and different aspirations.

Somebody that has a digital marketing business that wants to drive home, thousands of clients is going to look at it differently from someone that wants to have maybe just a solo business and be a solopreneur and just do a lot of consulting to other entrepreneurs and business owners versus somebody else that doesn't really want to do anything but of course, and just teach all their information.

So each of these three people have similar businesses, similar ideas, but they're executing completely different ways.

So your strategy is going to be a hugely important thing. And the big thing about strategies, I think a lot of times people will downplay the importance of being able to take steps ahead and plan what that is. Don't get me wrong. You're not going to necessarily have all the things in place, which is why there's a big argument about the business plan.

Why having the 30 40 plus Page business plan. A lot of people scarf it because you get books like the lead startup by Eric Ries . I always forget how to say his name. It talks so much around putting something out there essentially. Doing it in a minimum viable product and MVP so that you can get market feedback from that market feedback.

You go from there. So my thing about strategy is not necessarily the same strategy has to be long and extensive, but you want to actually have a plan in place.

So going back to that first pillar, what problem are you solving? Thinking about what that problem is, how you're going to actually solve them and what you want your business and organization to look like is going to be the next progression along the journey of being able to do that.

If you don't have an idea about what exactly that's going to look like, then that's going to leave you at a disadvantage. So. Know you can always kind of look into different things like your competitors and get an idea of exactly what they're doing to get in a better idea.

Sometimes the biggest, opportunity and I think honestly, this goes a little bit into the visibility piece that pillar, but it's not understanding exactly what's out there in the market because when you're trying to solve the problem, sometimes part of your strategy is going to be understanding what's out there.

Not necessarily so that. You can pay attention to your competition because I always say if you're running on a race, you can't lose, but so that you're able to get a better understanding of what you're doing is sometimes the best way to understand what you're doing is to understand what's out there because that's going to open up your doors and opportunity to understand what is your quote unquote secret sauce, the thing that you feel like sets you apart and makes you meet.

But it doesn't necessarily make sense to say, Hey, I'm going to create it. A social media site that is going to have groups that's going to have pages that's going to basically be large in the countries. And I'm going to call it book face or something along those lines. Something like that might actually exist.

So you want to make sure that you're paying attention to what's out there, not necessarily so that you can emulate what's out there, but so that you can say, okay, this might exist, but where is it?

Kind of falling short. Is it falling short in the way that it's marketed in the way that it's executed in its strategy in and of itself? Is it not serving the right clients? You start to have all these conversations, but that's where, understanding that the market understanding what's out there is such a big thing.

And anytime you want to create any goals, you want to make sure that the smart goals those smart goals are going to help you to increase your likelihood of success. And you want to make sure that KPIs that are with it as well. So those KPIs are gonna be ways that you determine what success is. That says it could be number of employees.

It could be your your market penetration. It could be your revenue. It could be your total annual revenue, whatever it might be. You just want to make sure that you outline exactly what that is so that you can go about execute upon that strategy and continue to monitor those results.

So again, the strategy part is not something that. You should gloss over, which is why I wanted to make sure that it was the second thing that I touched about because I think so many times we fall in love with the ideas that we have the ideas we're writing down on the napkin. Exactly what our vision is.

And we're taking that idea and we're running with it. But how do we run with it? Run with it without a strategy, even if your strategy is just to say, let me put it out there and see what happens that in of itself is a strategy. I think it goes along the lines, although it's more technical upon the the framework of the lead startup where you're testing out, just see if the market thinks it's of any value, but know that strategy plays a really big part.

And a lot of times we will hear from people, especially on the show that talk a lot around where your business is ultimately trying to go what that looks like. Succession planning, those things. Are you setting up your business to sell? Are you setting up your business to hand down to your family?

What does that look like? All those things become a part of your strategy and it ends up being really, really extensive because it's ultimately deals. I think with where you are and ultimately where you want to try to go and everything in between that. But know that it can definitely be written in pencil.

It doesn't have to be written in. Ink or a permanent marker, you get to take those steps to see that come to fruition. So that's one of the big things around strategy. So again we're drilling down into each of the different business pillars. You're gonna see a lot of our content that's going to delve into that.

You can, of course, join our community. We're relaunching our community. So you'll be able to check that out to hear a little bit more about what it is that That we're doing and why we're doing it. But again, a lot of it is to increase that likelihood of success as much as it's great to listen to these episodes and hear all the things my goal was really to say, okay, if you're trying to increase your likelihood of success and you realize that you don't have a strategy, maybe you focus more on this pillar so that you can increase your likelihood of success, or maybe you understand.

That some other aspect or some other pillar is going to be more important for your business. And it's not to say that you do all the things. You just want to be aware of all the things very similarly to, I say, like going to the grocery store, figuring out what the ingredients are. You want to know all the aspects of business so that you can increase your likelihood of success even though you're not going to be focusing on.

Every single aspect. So this is Gresh signing out. I hope you enjoyed this episode and I'm looking forward to, delve in a little bit deeper into each of the different pillars.

Outro 09:24

Hello, hello, this is Grash again, and I hope you enjoyed that special episode of the I AM CEO podcast. Just like I mentioned in the beginning, we're really trying to Laser focus on these eight pillars and show you as a builder, how you can leverage these eight pillars and really level up there.

So it helps you level up your business and organization. So hope you enjoyed this episode and definitely please check out the show notes.

This is Gresh signing out. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

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The post Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 2. STRATEGY appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP and the JOURNEY

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 04:15:47 -0500

In this special episode of the I AM CEO podcast, Gresh shares valuable insights into the importance of building a media company and leveraging other media platforms to support business growth.

He introduces the concept of the Eight Business Pillars, derived from over 1600 podcast episodes, which include entrepreneurship, strategy, offerings, people, operations, visibility, finances, and technology.

This episode focuses on the entrepreneurship pillar, exploring the journey of entrepreneurship, the misconceptions of overnight success, and the importance of problem-solving.

Gresh emphasizes resilience, passion, and continuous learning as critical components for navigating the entrepreneurial path. Tune in to understand how these pillars are interconnected and essential for elevating your business and personal growth.

http://cbnation.co/pillar
http://community.cbnation.co

Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.

I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Full Interview:

Transcription:

The full transcription is only available to CBNation Library Members. Sign up today!

Intro 00:00

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast, and this is a special I AM CEO podcast because we're going to be focusing on the eight business pillars. I hope you get to enjoy kind of take in a lot of these different pillars that came from the 1600 plus episodes we did at the I AM CEO podcast, which became the 16 themes, which eventually now became the eight business pillars. That can help you level up your business.

And really what we're trying to do is increase the business success rate. And this is going to eventually become a course. So you hear some of these snippets actually be in that course and that library of content and information we're going to put together to help you level up.

So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I AM CEO podcasts.

Gresham Harkless 00:38

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh and I am here with a special episode of the I AM CEO podcast. These next few episodes, we're going to focus on the eight pillars in business and give you a little bit more of a insight into each of these eight pillars, what they'll look like. Why? We've even created to that.

But basically fast forward or rewind actually into one of the previous episodes, you get an idea of what those eight pillars are. But one of the things, if you're just listening to this, solo, I wanted to give you an idea of what those eight pillars are. Where those eight pillars came from just to give you a little bit more of a recap is we took the 1600 episodes, came up with about 16 or so themes. Those themes became 8 pillars.

8 pillar is exactly what we wanted to structure a lot of the content around to be able to level up your business, your organization and all the awesome things that you're doing. So what are those eight pillars? What pillar am I going to focus on today 8 pillars.

[restrict paid=”true”]

Are going to be entrepreneurship journey the journey of entrepreneurship, strategy, your offering slash your product or service, people slash the human part of business operations slash legal visibility, which is marketing, sales, advertising, all of those aspects, your financial piece. And then, of course, the big 1 that I added on because I wanted it to be 7, but end up being 8 was technology.

And the one that I'm going to focus on today is going to be a lot around entrepreneurship. I literally just completed a, an interview, which you should hear coming out live in about about 60 days or so.

We talked a lot around the secret to overnight success. It takes a 10 or 15 years. So, there is not a kind of magic bullet that you have with your business. No matter what people might tell you, this is the only thing that you need that's going to completely change your business. The reality is that even with each of these pillars, you start to realize that you can maybe not focus on all the different aspects at the same time.

So you have to maybe pick one, maybe two, just to focus on during a short period of time to be able to get more traction in your business, more opportunity to grow. But. I think that goes back to entrepreneurship and the journey, the secret to the overnight success. It takes 10 or 15 years. What that means is it's not necessarily always instant.

And even for those people, that it isn't. And when they do start a business and it ends up happening or ballooning or, doing some phenomenal numbers within the year, it's, a lot of times because some of the other aspects may be a little bit more developed than they might seem.

So, for example, a lot of times you'll hear around people that have built new businesses, but they've had the previous experience. So when they're building the new business, they're not isolated from that experience that they had before. So all this means is that you should really understand what you're getting into when you're talking about entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship, I believe at the heart is around problem solving. And so when you're really starting to solve the problems, you realize it doesn't always happen as quickly as you want it to happen. It doesn't necessarily mean that you can't solve the problem. Sometimes it's so many other aspects that you need to take care of.

If you're bootstrapping the business, maybe the financial aspect is not exactly where you want it to be. But Maybe you have an idea on what the solution might be, but maybe there's not an actual market for it.

So that's where it's so important to really understand entrepreneurship, what that journey looks like, because a lot of it is going to require, I think a lot of quote, unquote, failing a lot of mistakes, a lot of things, not necessarily going the way that you want them to go, but that resilience, the grit is going to be such a huge thing because as you start to do that, Delve into each of these aspects of business, you'll start to realize that they're not isolated.

They're actually fully intertwined. But the reality is that if you don't have an idea that when you hit a roadblock, when you hit a setback, that it's not the end of the world, that some of the most successful people, I would probably even got to say all of the most successful people have had some type of speed bump, potholes, something that has happened that was not expected within their business.

So the really big thing that I want to get across, and we're going to drill down course, more and more on is to understand that entrepreneurship is definitely not linear. It's not a straight path. It's not a straight line, and it doesn't happen at the snap of your fingers.

So once you start to understand that, I think it gives you a little bit more of a awareness around what you're getting into. It gives you awareness around the mistakes, the things that don't go the way that you want to go and being even opportunities to learn. And one of the things that I've even brought up a lot of times during the episodes is that there's a story. Sarah Blakely tells a lot around why she looks at failure in a completely different way.

And the reason is because her dad used to actually high five her. If she made some type of mistake during the day, or if she has some type of failure, she did something that was outside the realm of what and how she defined success as a, as a young lady, as a young, as a young girl.

So what you start to realize is it changed the way that she looked at failure. So when she went around to starting Spanx, she already had imprinted in her a foundation that really celebrated failure because knowing that failure was not final, but it was a way and path that was very intertwined with success. You need it to have the favorites. You have the success. So that's one of the really big things that you want to take away.

More than, anything else. Loads of CEO nuggets that, of course, that we've had on our podcast, but just know that the essence of entrepreneurship is all around problem solving. It doesn't necessarily mean that you need to have that to reach success. But I think a lot of people that get into entrepreneurship and business are trying to solve problems.

They're trying to make an impact. That might be looked at from a revenue standpoint, X amount of clients, X amount of, revenue that you want to achieve. But when you start to drill that down, it's like, how many people are you helping? How many people are ultimately impacting? I think that, that's the heart of entrepreneurship and understanding that journey is not always just about.

Are you able to create a better mousetrap? But does anybody else know about this mousetrap? Does the visibility part play such a big part? So, as you will hear during each of these episodes, I'll go a little bit more in depth around all the other aspects, all the other pillars, but know that entrepreneurship, I think it's definitely the essence of business.

I think, honestly, it's one of the essences of life because when you approach life with the mentality that you're going to solve the problem, you're not asking or seeing the world as this is how it is. You're seeing the world within opportunity of ways that you can change. You just have to determine if it's It's going to be worthwhile to go on that path and pursue and invest the resources to be able to solve whatever the problems might be.

And that's where a lot of times you'll hear people saying you want to be passionate about business. Do you need to be passionate about the business that you're in? Absolutely not. But the reason that you. Considering the passion about it, you probably want to be passionate about it because it's so hard and so difficult.

It's so draining. So that when you hit those roadblocks, when you hit those speed bumps, when you don't have any more gas that's in the tank, so to speak, you're going to be pulling upon that passion to get you through those challenging times. So you're more likely to stick with it. And have a stick to it.

If you are passionate about than if you're not. So that's one of the really big things I wanted to get across. When you're looking at this pillar, of course, you can definitely check out our site to hear a little bit more about each of those pillars. And, of course, be able to join the community where we're going to be delving down deeper into each of these different pillars.

And especially, of course, entrepreneurship and demystifying what that looks like and what that is, but doing it in a way that I think is going to be a lot more enjoyable than it would have been if you had gone through it. So while you're going through this path of entrepreneurship, I salute you for doing it.

I commend you for taking that step, but please keep in mind. That just because you're hitting roadblocks, you're hitting speed bumps, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're doing it wrong. Now, don't get me wrong. You could absolutely be taking in some data and information to be able to pivot and change, but so many people throw in a towel because they say that I'm not good enough.

I'm not cut out for this. And in reality, I don't know anybody is. I think you just develop the ability to be able to sustain this. You have a strong why that's going to fuel you more. The motivation is there to keep you up and going because even the mental, the emotional, financial all those challenges that you go through.

It's going to be an opportunity for you to develop yourself as much as you're developing your business. You're also developing yourself as you're going through those journeys. So the trials and tribulations are not there just to create Roblox success. Actually, it allows you the opportunity to develop that endurance and be able to go past the path that you ultimately thought you could.

So with that being said, this is Gresh signing out. Remember, this is the first pillar, entrepreneurship and the journey. Make sure you understand the journey that you're getting in, understand ultimately what you're doing, which is problem-solving. So there's going to be loads and loads of information that we'll have within our community.

But make sure that you of course, check out the other pillars, check out some of the information that we're providing and remember the journey that you're in and I wish you the best towards your success.

Outro 09:34

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh again, and I hope you enjoyed that special episode of the I AM CEO podcast.

Just like I mentioned in the beginning, we're really trying to laser focus on these eight pillars and show you as a builder how you can leverage these eight pillars and really level up there. So it helps to level up your business and organization. So I hope you enjoyed this episode and definitely please check out the show notes.

So you can learn more about the pillar, this is Gresh signing out. Hope you'll have a phenomenal rest of the day.

[/restrict]

The post Understanding the 8 Business Pillars: 1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP and the JOURNEY appeared first on CBNation TV - Entrepreneurship Videos, Steps to Start a Small Business.

Chat#111 – The Power of Putting Customers First [SPONSORED POST]

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:32:38 -0500

Gresham W. Harkless Jr. sits down with Jasmine Price of M & D Cleaning Services at Intelligent Office in Alexandria Virginia.

M&D Cleaning Service Provides top-notch commercial and janitorial services to businesses of all sizes. They specialize in creating pristine and hygienic environments that enhance productivity and leave a lasting impression.

Jasmine Price, born and raised in Northern Virginia, is the founder of a family-owned business established in 2014. The company was built upon a simple idea – the desire to assist people with cleaning and organization. Jasmine's passion for cleaning has flourished over the five years the business has been operating.

Throughout this time, Jasmine and her dedicated team have had the pleasure of working with and getting to know the most amazing customers in the DMV. The mission plan for Jasmine's business is centered around providing exceptional customer service. While acknowledging that they may not be perfect and could miss a few things, the commitment is to approach each space with the best customer service and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

Timestamps

Intelligent Office of Alexandria offers 23 private offices and three meeting rooms, two of which can be configured in many ways to meet your meeting or training needs.

Relevant Links:

Intelligent Office of Alexandria – https://www.intelligentoffice.com/virginia/alexandria

M&D Cleaning Services – https://manddcleaningservice.com/

DMV Resources – https://dmvceo.com/resources

BNI Chapter – https://dmvceo.com/resources/#franchisenetworking

Additional Resources:

Download our FREE CEO Hacks Guide and subscribe to our newsletter to help you be more effective and efficient – https://cbnation.co/newsletter/

Check out more CEO Hacks that help you be more effective and efficient – https://ceohack.co/

Freshdesk (An online cloud-based customer service software providing helpdesk support with all smart automations to get things done faster. – https://ceohack.co/refer/freshdesk

About Intelligent Office Alexandria

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This is a sponsored post.

Transcription

00:00:17 – 00:00:47
Speaker 1: You're an entrepreneur, and you make vital decisions that hopefully blossom into a business. You're the savvy out-of-the-box risk taker who believes wholeheartedly in the process of innovation. Innovation that will change the world. This is CEO Chat with Gresham Harkless and you're about to embark on a journey through the awesome world of business. Gresham is the epitome of drive and desire as he works to help support small businesses and entrepreneurship.

00:00:48 – 00:00:59
Speaker 1: And you're about to learn from this entrepreneur how you can improve your odds of success in the business world. Welcoming the host of CEO Chat, here's

00:01:01 – 00:01:04
Jasmine Price: Gresham Harkless.

00:01:06 – 00:01:18
Gresham Harkless: All right, hello, hello, Hello. This is Gresh from the I am CEO podcast, CEO podcast and Blue 16 Media. And I have a fantastic guest with us today. I have Jasmine Price of MND Cleaning. Jasmine, excited to have you on the show.

00:01:18 – 00:01:22
Jasmine Price: Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure to meet you. It's a pleasure.

00:01:23 – 00:01:37
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, absolutely. Well, you're doing so many phenomenal things. So super excited to have you on the show and hear a little bit more about your rise, all the awesome things that you're doing. I know we were talking a little bit offline, so I hope we get to talk a little bit more about the inauguration. All the awesome things you've been able to do.

00:01:37 – 00:01:43
Gresham Harkless: And of course, super excited to be here at Intelligent Office in Alexandria, Virginia. They're hosting us for this podcast.

00:01:43 – 00:01:46
Jasmine Price: Love Intelligent Office. Shout out to them.

00:01:46 – 00:01:56
Gresham Harkless: Yes, They do phenomenal things. And I know that's what brought us together too. But I guess to kick everything off I wanted to rewind the clock a little bit more on how you got started. What I call your CEO story.

00:01:56 – 00:02:22
Jasmine Price: OK. How did I get started with MD Clean and Service. MD Clean and service really was just an idea I came up with to help people and also just to get an extra flow of money, flow of cash. And it kind of just literally just. Kind of grew from there.

00:02:23 – 00:02:39
Jasmine Price: I've seen the. Impact on the community. Helping people with. Employment and things like that, and I just. Start taking off with it, I really didn't think it was going to take off the way.

00:02:40 – 00:03:01
Jasmine Price: It took off, I just was trying to keep myself. Just busy and just busy, really. I'm optimistic on. Trying to do something a little different. And I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.

00:03:01 – 00:03:18
Jasmine Price: Like that was number 1. I started as a massage therapist. So I was like, I always. Knew I kind of wanted to do my own thing. To like, extend and just kind of.

00:03:18 – 00:03:18
Gresham Harkless: To like, Extend and

00:03:18 – 00:03:20
Jasmine Price: it just kind of Grew from there.

00:03:20 – 00:03:38
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, well, No, it's kind of great to hear, you know, you're Doing so many phenomenal things and to hear Like how it started about you always wanting to Have that kind of seed planted and Wanting to do your own thing and just kind of running You know, with that. How was the massage business? And do you think that that helped you in terms of your cleaning business and being able to kind of transition from there?

00:03:38 – 00:03:50
Jasmine Price: Oh, definitely. I love the massage business. It was awesome. I did that for about 4 years. It's still a passion of mine.

00:03:51 – 00:04:04
Jasmine Price: From the massage business, I started a. Mobile, it was like a. Mobile spa, so we should do, like. Pop up shop. Yes.

00:04:06 – 00:04:34
Jasmine Price: Yes. It was so nice. We did. Like, bridal showers parties, bachelorette. Parties like, and it was just awesome to be able to connect with other like women and to build a business and also just to really Try to bring people Together to make money And that was the goal.

00:04:34 – 00:05:13
Jasmine Price: So I had like a nail tech, makeup artist, and we would come in and like pamper the ladies and get them ready for their day or whatever it was. And it was just so fulfilling, you know, for them to get pampered and see them like relaxed and happy and enjoying their friends. So I've always kind of been in the business of customer service. So I just kind of, you know, focus on that and it just kind of grew from there. So the.

00:05:13 – 00:05:23
Jasmine Price: Cleaning business, it was a super easy transition. Super easy transition. And you know, you're helping people. So it just all worked out.

00:05:23 – 00:05:38
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, I love that. And I think so many times we forget about in business, like when we're figuring out what our products and services are, you know, our name and our logo, our color, all those things that we do, our finance, all those things, we sometimes forget about like the actual people that we're serving.

00:05:38 – 00:05:39
Jasmine Price: So I

00:05:39 – 00:05:44
Gresham Harkless: love how that is kind of first and first and front and foremost and everything that you do.

00:05:45 – 00:06:15
Jasmine Price: Yeah I started working at a very young age. My first job was in customer service. It's actually at Bed, Bath & Beyond. And I was about 15, 16 years old and that was number 1 customer service like they installed it and so on so many different levels. So by the time I was about 17 I was the customer service manager.

00:06:15 – 00:06:37
Jasmine Price: So I was running the front running the front. And you know because I understood the business you know. So once you understand the customer is just always right, I mean, you'll be okay. It is what it is, you know, It is what it is. And that's what happens when you run a business.

00:06:38 – 00:06:42
Jasmine Price: So our customers are our priority. Yeah. Number 1.

00:06:42 – 00:07:01
Gresham Harkless: Yeah. It's funny that you said that because I don't know if you found this exact same thing where a lot of times there's this perception when you're not running your business that if you jump into running your business, you can be your own boss. You're not going to have to answer to anybody, but the reality is that you don't just have 1 boss. Now you have a lot of bosses. Here's all your clients.

00:07:01 – 00:07:11
Jasmine Price: Now I have hundreds of bosses. I went from 1 to hundreds of bosses and I don't want to piss anyone off. So, you know.

00:07:11 – 00:07:34
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, but I know that it makes so much sense because everything has to be particular on how they want things. You have to understand. I love that customer service background because it's not just sometimes providing the service I imagine. It's probably also adding that customer service feel of like you know even when you go to a hotel and you know you go walk in and they clean up and then they have the little men on your just those little small things go along

00:07:34 – 00:07:35
Jasmine Price: with it.

00:07:35 – 00:07:35
Gresham Harkless: Is it

00:07:35 – 00:07:45
Jasmine Price: is the details. It's the communication. You know it's a variety of things. But you know customer service like that's the umbrella of

00:07:45 – 00:07:46
Gresham Harkless: it all.

00:07:46 – 00:08:00
Jasmine Price: You know you have those basic foundations. You'll be good to go. I mean, you need those. You need the foundation and if you got it, you can do whatever business you want to do. I really believe that.

00:08:00 – 00:08:11
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, I say that so many times you forget about like the human aspect of business. And I love that you have that foundation because just as you say, whether it's the massage business that you were able to do for, I think you said 4 or

00:08:11 – 00:08:12
Jasmine Price: 5 years, or

00:08:12 – 00:08:15
Gresham Harkless: obviously the cleaning business you've been doing for I think 10 years.

00:08:15 – 00:08:16
Jasmine Price: Yeah, I've been doing it for a while now.

00:08:16 – 00:08:24
Gresham Harkless: Yeah. So I think once you have that foundation you know people you know how to serve them the customers first then you can really take things off from there.

00:08:24 – 00:08:26
Jasmine Price: So for sure for sure.

00:08:26 – 00:08:32
Gresham Harkless: Absolutely. So I wanted to drill down a little bit more here a little bit more on how you serve your clients. Can you take us through the services that you're providing.

00:08:33 – 00:08:51
Jasmine Price: Sure. So, we offer commercial. And residential clean, so we do. Post construction cleaning Move out services, we offer recurring cleanings. So we offer a variety of.

00:08:52 – 00:09:11
Jasmine Price: Services we have a website, you go on there and you pick what you need, which you're looking for. If you don't see it, or you have any questions, just give us a call. But we do offer. And a variety of services are. Most popular services are our.

00:09:11 – 00:09:28
Jasmine Price: Housekeeping and our janitorial services. Okay. Yeah, so we serve a lot of businesses and. In the area with keeping their. Offices clean their businesses, their restaurants.

00:09:29 – 00:09:40
Jasmine Price: Just a variety of day hotel cleaning. We do a lot of different things. We just did a. Turnover cleaning for the college of. On the University of Maryland.

00:09:41 – 00:09:41
Gresham Harkless: Okay.

00:09:41 – 00:09:54
Jasmine Price: So, yeah, we had a. Turnover there. Off campus dorms, I think we did, like, 700, 800 dorms. Yeah, it was crazy, but it was. It was a good experience, so

00:09:54 – 00:10:00
Gresham Harkless: I imagine so that I didn't even I'm not even familiar with that turnover and I'm thinking back to me going to college and, you know, you just want

00:10:00 – 00:10:08
Jasmine Price: to start like that. Right? Yeah. Got it. We got to slip it.

00:10:08 – 00:10:29
Jasmine Price: So, yeah, we go in and we turn over the whole dorm. We do the cleaning of the kitchens, the bathrooms. We do trash removal, if needed, carpet cleaning. So it's a lot, yeah.

00:10:29 – 00:10:38
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, that makes sense. Sometimes you don't think about all those things. Like, again, you just show up the day with all your stuff. It is clean. You just assume that is the way that it

00:10:38 – 00:10:39
Jasmine Price: always is.

00:10:43 – 00:10:53
Gresham Harkless: Exactly. So I love that. And you said that you also do the janitorial services as well. Is that for like the commercial? Yeah.

00:10:54 – 00:11:06
Jasmine Price: Yeah. Yeah. So that's commercial. We have commercial cleaning. We have a variety of clients from offices here.

00:11:06 – 00:11:24
Jasmine Price: Oh town from. Like doctors offices. We have all different types of different things. School buildings that we serve is. And basically for the janitorial cleaning.

00:11:25 – 00:11:41
Jasmine Price: It's normally on a daily basis. Come in, pull trash. Vacuum. Sanitize disinfect. On a daily basis, and.

00:11:43 – 00:11:55
Jasmine Price: That's more of a. What's the word for that's that's more just to keep the germs controlled, so we can make sure

00:11:55 – 00:11:56
Gresham Harkless: that it doesn't get out

00:11:56 – 00:12:07
Jasmine Price: of hand. Exactly. The office is getting cleaned. Nobody's passing anything back and forth while you're, you know, so you can have that level of comfortability. Yeah.

00:12:07 – 00:12:09
Jasmine Price: It's coming back into the office.

00:12:09 – 00:12:25
Gresham Harkless: Yeah. And that's what made me think a lot of I imagine love to hear more about, especially around Kobe. I can't imagine what that was, but. I imagine as people have gone back or starting to go back, they just started to really think about like, do I have that security? Do I have that safety?

00:12:25 – 00:12:39
Gresham Harkless: Are things going to be clean? And I imagine that's where a lot of the great work that you all do helps out in terms of doing that. So was that something that you saw that was kind of different during COVID, kind of the same or just like more communication? What happened I guess in that time?

00:12:39 – 00:13:10
Jasmine Price: Yeah, COVID was very interesting and of course it was a first for everyone So it was very unpredictable. So when we 1st. Enter code, everything was completely. Shut down, so the work completely stopped for us. And then slowly, once everything started to open back up, it just got crazy.

00:13:10 – 00:13:26
Jasmine Price: So everybody wanted everything clean, sanitized. Oh my goodness, fog. During Oh, my goodness. Fog. During COVID, the viral sanitation fog was a big thing.

00:13:28 – 00:13:52
Jasmine Price: So we were super busy with that. And now, since Everybody's really coming back to the office. I'll say this past. Year really offices have been calling this crazy office cleaning has been. Very, very popular because everybody wants to get back on the schedule.

00:13:54 – 00:14:19
Jasmine Price: So it's been good for us. It's a good business. It's very needed. It's very needed. I think people kind of pass over the cleaning at times, but it's very essential to have your business clean on a daily basis.

00:14:20 – 00:14:52
Jasmine Price: And it's something that your customers look at different things. Like I always tell you, owners, business owners, like people are eye, like they'll catch the eye. So if you've got different things, like, have these spots, like, it really throws the average person. All So I'm like, this is like the basics. So you got to get the basics done on the daily.

00:14:52 – 00:15:18
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, I love that you said that. And you know, we talked about building that foundation, you having that customer service as your foundation, but in much the same way, like the businesses, they have to have that foundation. And like you said, I never really thought of that being like a brand piece. But I imagine if I walk into especially a restaurant, and things don't look exactly as clean as I think that they should be, I'm probably not necessarily gonna buy that business. I'm not gonna buy the food.

00:15:18 – 00:15:34
Gresham Harkless: I might not even want to eat that food because that speaks to the brand. Like, they're not taking care of those essential things. They're not taking care of those basic things. And if they can't take care of that, then who knows what the food or, you know, the whatever I buy there is going to look like. So I appreciate you mentioning

00:15:34 – 00:16:07
Jasmine Price: that. Yes, the sanitation is very important. It's very important when you're running any business. And call us to get it right. A lot of businesses try to cut corners for getting their employees to do the cleaning and it's, you know, it's great you have to do what you have to do, But to ensure that you're getting that deep cleaning, hire a professional.

00:16:08 – 00:16:16
Jasmine Price: You know, just hire the professionals. We're here to get it out the way.

00:16:16 – 00:16:44
Gresham Harkless: Yeah, that makes sense. And I feel like that's even what brought us here, you know, in intelligent offices, like kind of knowing like those quote unquote back-end things are kind of taken care of. And a lot of times we do that by making sure that we lean on the people that are really great at what they do. And I think you also have had that experience with the intelligence office if I'm correct where you know we there's so many things in the business. And you know we of course sometimes when we walk into the business and start the business we think that we're going to do all the things.

00:16:44 – 00:16:48
Gresham Harkless: But it starts to come realization that you can't juggle all the balls.

00:16:48 – 00:17:21
Jasmine Price: Intelligent office helps me out so much from answering our phones when we're too busy, handling our mail. I mean, it's just an array of things that they offer and they're reliable, reasonable. The office staff is wonderful. Yeah, I love them. And I wouldn't be here without, here with you without knowing them.

00:17:21 – 00:17:55
Jasmine Price: And yeah, like the networking circle that they bring to you by you coming to them. Yeah I have been really Yeah, I have been really. Developing so much within the past. Year from networking with, you know,

IAM1909 – CEO Leads Healthcare Innovations

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 22:31:32 -0500

Why it was selected for “CBNation Architects”:
In this episode of IAMCEO podcast, Gerry Miller, CEO of Cloudticity, discusses his extensive experience in the technology industry and how he leads healthcare innovations at Cloudticity.
Gerry Miller is a serial entrepreneur and healthcare fanatic with over 30 years in the technology sector. He has held multiple executive roles, including COO at ePrize, CTO at Microsoft's US Central Region, and Global Business Unit Leader at Microsoft overseeing General Motors. Gerry currently holds all five AWS certifications.
Cloudticity is a company that strives to revolutionize healthcare utilizing cloud technologies, enabling improved clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and

Listen to the full podcast. This is Originally posted here.

16 Entrepreneurs Share Their Favorite CEO Hack/Resource That Makes Them Successful

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 12:16:51 -0500
As an entrepreneur, you have that gadget, habit, app, or book that makes your work easier, and motivates you to do more and that’s what we refer to as a CEO Hack. It helps you achieve maximum productivity and stick to your goals regardless of the hurdles you face as an entrepreneur. For instance, it […]

11 Entrepreneurs Share How They Incorporate Innovation Within Their Organization

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:16:29 -0400

Innovation lies at the heart of organizational growth and sustainability, playing a pivotal role in shaping a company's competitive edge in today's dynamic business landscape. Incorporating innovation within an organization demands a holistic approach that embraces creativity, technology, and a culture of continuous improvement. By fostering an environment that encourages curiosity and risk-taking, organizations can effectively nurture a mindset where novel ideas are not only welcomed but actively sought after.

We asked entrepreneurs, and business owners how they incorporate innovation within their organization. Here are the responses.

#1- By leading passion projects

Photo Credit: Ryan Stone

We're a creative organization, and we recognize that everyone in the team wants their own sense of creative freedom. To accommodate that, we offer the opportunity to lead on ‘passion projects' – projects that don't serve financial aims or adhere to client requirements. Instead, they are projects where we retain 100% of the creative freedom to innovate. The company invests both time and money in these projects and grants autonomy to the team member who kickstarted the project.

Thanks to Ryan Stone, Lambda Films!

#2- By encouraging curiosity and experimentation

Photo Credit: Seth Besse

It's not only vital to foster a culture that values innovation but also one that thrives on it. To do this, we've embraced an approach that encourages curiosity and experimentation across the board. It begins with providing our team with the resources and opportunities to explore new tools and ideas together. For instance, when we faced the challenge of establishing a seamless communication channel between our clients and their dedicated support agents, we harnessed our team's collective intelligence.

Thanks to Seth Besse, Undivided!

#3- By encouraging creativity

Photo Credit: Paul Mario Vratusha

Incorporating innovation within my organization has been a journey filled with learning and adaptability. It's about fostering a culture that encourages creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. I've found that providing a safe space for my team to voice their ideas, no matter how unconventional, is crucial. I actively seek to stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies. This helps me identify opportunities to integrate innovation. More than that, I believe in leading by example. I strive to model innovative thinking by constantly exploring new methods and ideas myself.

Thanks to Paul Mario Vratusha, D-Studio Consulting!

#4- By experimenting with different solutions

Photo Credit: Lily Stoyanov

At Transformify, we believe that innovation is the key to success in the digital era. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our platform, our services, and our impact on society. We foster a culture of innovation within our organization by encouraging our team members to share their ideas, experiment with different solutions, and learn from their failures. We also collaborate with other innovative organizations and partners to create synergies and leverage best practices.

Thanks to Lily Stoyanov, Transformify!

#5- By developing new ideas

Photo Credit: Priyanka Swamy

Innovation is at the heart of our business. We encourage our team to develop new ideas regularly and create an environment where everyone is encouraged to try new things. To implement innovation, we analyze industry trends, customer insights, and market research regularly. We invest in R&D to develop new products and enhance existing ones. We build relationships and collaborate with other companies in related industries to get new ideas and perspectives. We also like to keep our staff up-to-date with the latest tech and practices.

Thanks to Priyanka Swamy, Perfect Locks Hair Company!

#6- Using a diversification strategy

Photo Credit: Shannon Birthisel

IDL has embodied innovation and a full brand update and name change this year was a big step towards showcasing that to the staff, supporters, and clients. This name change from Idyll Wine Co to IDL in January 2023 cemented IDL's diversification strategy as they positioned themselves as more than just a winery. With a growing portfolio of cider, ready-to-drink spirit-based products, non-alcoholic products, and increased manufacturing capabilities the Idyll Wine Co. name no longer reflected the innovative, forward-thinking, and dynamic nature of their daily operations.

Thanks to Shannon Birthisel, IDL!

#7- Through various ways

Photo Credit: Andrew Chung

We incorporate innovation through several practices and initiatives at Bestcafedesigns dot com. In the space of weeks we translated an idea from thin air into a website with a global audience on cafe designs. This site is enjoyed by designers, and travelers and allows cafe operators a space to promote their cafe in a fun and new niche format. We used Upwork to identify tasks that could be outsourced and more promptly attended with specialist talent, that otherwise couldn’t have been executed by the original team.

Thanks to Andrew Chung, Bestcafedesigns.com!

#8- By empowering employees

Photo Crdit: Cort Adair

To foster innovation, we maintain a culture that encourages every team member to contribute innovative ideas and solutions. Our leadership philosophy emphasizes staying humble and continuously learning, recognizing that innovation can come from anyone, regardless of position. We also regularly assess market trends and conduct competitive analysis, allowing us to adapt swiftly. Embracing change and empowering our employees to contribute to our evolution have been central to our success.

Thanks to Cort Adair, ShirtMax!

#9- By pushing ourselves

Photo Credit: Thomas Samuels

One of the best ways for us to incorporate innovation into our company is to push ourselves with customer projects when the opportunity arises. Our job is to determine if it’s doable and help them make it happen if we can. This openness to new and exciting projects is a major way we’ve expanded our capabilities in the past, from working with LED video walls for booths to incorporating games like skee ball or mini golf into an exhibit. By working on these projects, we get new ideas for future work, learn how to streamline new processes for next time and refresh our portfolio with pieces that attract other innovative projects

Thanks to Thomas Samuels, Cardinal Expo!

#10- By embracing uncertainty

Photo Credit: Solomon Thimothy

To incorporate innovation into your organization, it's crucial to understand the distinction between invention and innovation. Embrace uncertainty and don't wait for a predefined map. Cultivate a culture of creativity and experimentation, dedicating a portion of your time and resources to testing new ideas. Consider establishing a dedicated R&D or “Labs” department, providing them the autonomy and resources to pioneer groundbreaking innovations. Encourage your team to think differently and foster an environment where trying new things and taking calculated risks is valued.

Thanks to Solomon Thimothy, Clickx!

#11- By teaching employees

Photo Credit: Andy LaPointe

We foster innovation within our gourmet food business by teaching our employees how important our gourmet food pr

Ready to tell your story? Podcast Day at Intelligent Office in Alexandria Virginia

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:15:31 -0400

Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023 from 10am – 4pm

Location: Recording at Intelligent Office in Alexandria, VA

Details: For more information and to secure your 30-minute slot, call 703-224-8800

Availability is on a first-come-first-served basis

More Information: Want to tell your story? Blue16 Media will have LIVE podcast recordings for the I AM CEO Podcast at Intelligent Office of Alexandria on Wednesday, November 15 from 10am-4pm. You must sign up to participate for the limited slots. Sign up for a 30-minute slot to tell your story and talk about what you lean on to make your business more effective and efficient. The interviews will be around 15-25 minutes. Interviews will go live in early 2024. To reserve your slot, call Intelligent Office of Alexandria at 703-224-8800. Availability is on a first-come first-served basis.

8 Entrepreneurs Reveal How They Have Failed and What They’ve Learnt

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:16:51 -0400

In the face of failure, entrepreneurs come to recognize their transformative power, utilizing setbacks as a means for personal and professional advancement. It is through past challenges and errors that we grasp the significance of perseverance and flexibility, understanding that each stumble is an opportunity for growth. These experiences foster a deep sense of introspection, emphasizing the importance of embracing failure as a stepping stone towards success, showcasing resilience and determination to emerge stronger from adversity.

We asked entrepreneurs, and business owners how they have failed and what they have learnt. Here are some responses.

#1- Align with your power

Photo Credit: Jane Baker

I failed after achieving success, it happened because I forgot my own power, what really worked for me, who I really was, and what I really wanted. I ended up listening to too much noise around me and took paths that were really not the best ones for me. This mistake meant that slowly, I ended up going from success into struggle. The valuable lesson I learned is that everyone has their own unique superpowers, what is right for someone else is simply not always going to be right for you and it's more important to ensure the advice you‘re taking and acting upon is actually in alignment with you.

Thanks to Jane Baker, House Of Motorsport Brokerage!

#2- Don't be afraid to pivot

Photo Credit: Lily Stoyanov

I am an entrepreneur and CEO of Transformify, a platform that connects freelancers and businesses around the world. I have failed many times in my journey, but I have learned valuable lessons from each setback. Don't be afraid to pivot. You have to be flexible and willing to adapt to changing customer demands and feedback. Don't try to do everything yourself. You need to delegate tasks, outsource functions, and hire experts who can help you grow your business. Don't neglect your personal life. You need to find a balance between work and life and make time for yourself and your loved ones.

Thanks to Lily Stoyanov, Transformify Ltd!

#3- Be resilient and do market research

Photo Credit: Matt Little

One of the biggest mistakes I made was jumping in without doing enough research on a new market. I didn't realize how important it was to understand the local culture, and I made a product that didn't do what it was supposed to. Another mistake I made was hiring. It's about finding people who share your values and goals. These mistakes have taught me how to be resilient, how important it is to do your homework, and how to create a great team. Remember to embrace your mistakes because they're the key to success.

Thanks to Matt Little, Festoon House!

#4- Prioritize the fundamentals

Photo Credit: Tom Walls

Early on, I was so caught up in the excitement of the business – the creative and enjoyable aspects. What I failed to realize was that the behind-the-scenes operations are just as crucial. It's like trying to build a sandcastle without a solid foundation. The takeaway here was clear: prioritize the fundamentals of the business first. Establish a robust operational framework, and only then indulge in the more thrilling aspects without the looming concern of a structural collapse. Striking a balance between passion and pragmatism turned out to be the key to sustainable growth and success.

Thanks to Tom Walls, The Modern Back!

#5- Embrace the value of sales

Photo Credit: Namanh Hoang

I can confidently say I'm a seasoned startup failure. As funny as it sounds, it's something I'm proud of because I've learned tremendously from those experiences. Among these failures, one of the greatest I've had to overcome is undervaluing skills outside of my core competency. As a designer and engineer, it is common for me to undervalue sales. No matter how good your product is, you may need someone to convince people to buy into the idea. A good salesperson has the emotional quotient to craft and deliver messaging that resonates with different audiences. It's essential since capital funding is often the leading cause of startup failures.

Thanks to Namanh Hoang, Ask Nam!

#6- Partnerships should be a thoughtful decision

Photo Credit: Dmytro Sokhach

Stepping into various partnerships should be a thoughtful decision. I recall one partnership that cost me both time and money. The essence of any partnership is being on the same page and having that shared passion for the project. One partner I had was juggling work with me alongside another project, waiting to see which one took off faster. As a result, the quality of the work he promised to deliver wasn't up to the mark. We eventually had to shut the project down. That wavering partner, who couldn't make up his mind, is now working a regular job.

Thanks to Dmytro Sokhach, Editorial Link!

#7- Think through the details

Photo Credit: Julia Shih

When I started out, we decided to include hemp-based CBD in our formula. We didn't anticipate, that banks are federally regulated and wouldn't work with companies that sold CBD. Any credit card processing could only be done through small, less reputable processors. We had two processors who ran off with all of our transactions. My advice to those venturing out to start their own businesses is to really think through the details in that planning stage—do as much research as possible, and be aware of every aspect of your business that will affect you.

Thanks to Julia Shih, Body + Soul!

#8- Have a team of advisers

Photo Credit: Kraig Kleeman

At the inception of my first company, we accomplished the remarkable feat of soaring from zero revenue to an impressive $30 million in annual sales within just 4 years. During this rise, our most critical marketing partner began showing a keen interest in acquiring our company. This led to intense negotiations and seemingly endless due diligence. When considering the sale of your company, prioritize actively engaging potential acquiring partners and invest significant effort into fostering a competitive bidding environment. Additionally, ensure you have a team of advisors by your side.

Thanks to Kraig Kleeman, The New Workforce!

How have you failed? What did you learn? Tell us in the comments below. Don’t forget to join our #IamCEOCommunity.

IAM1904 – CEO Provides Access to Mental Health and Fitness Resources

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 22:37:32 -0400

Why it was selected for “CBNation Architects”:
In this episode of IAMCEO podcast, Corey Lewis, CEO and Founder of 1AND1 LIFE, shares his journey of promoting mental health and wellness, particularly among the African-American community.
Corey's platform, 1AND1 LIFE, is dedicated to curating and customizing content, tools, and products that address the lack of mental health and fitness resources available for African Americans, especially men. The content curated by Corey and his team seeks to define what mental health and wellness mean to the Black Community and aims to break the associated stigma.
Besides mental health advocacy, Corey is also passionate about performance

Listen to the full podcast. This is Originally posted here.

Monday Motivation: Decide What You Want. Make a Plan and Work on That…Every. Single. Day

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:16:38 -0400

This motivational video is to help CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners start the week off inspired to become great.

Here are some takeaways from the video:

It's not what you're capable of, it's what you're willing to do

Will is a powerful thing, what are you willing to do?

How can you be strong unless you were once weak?

Attack like you're trying to save the world

Resilience in life is the proper preparation

30 Entrepreneurs Share Essential Skills One Needs to be a CEO

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 12:16:16 -0400

There are skills one has to adapt to be an effective and efficient CEO. Anyone can be a CEO. “It’s within everyone’s grasp to be a CEO,” says Martha Stewart. The most common skills are decision-making, being the leader of the team, and communication. Some CEOs are born with these skills while others have to acquire them through consistent practice. As a CEO, you have to remind yourself it's not always about you and you should practice servant leadership.

We asked entrepreneurs what critical skills one must have to be a CEO and here are the awesome responses

#1- Three skills

Photo Credit: Mitch Chailland

The amalgamation of visionary leadership, adept decision-making, and interpersonal skills sets a CEO apart. A CEO or any individual in a leadership role, should inspire trust, foster collaboration, and create an environment where employees feel comfortable challenging themselves and taking risks, even if they don’t always work out. Moreover, adaptability is crucial, especially as the workforce continues to shift to more remote work. Ultimately, any leadership role demands a holistic approach where strategic planning meets human-focused leadership.

Thanks to Mitch Chailland, Online Optimism!

#2- Leading and delegating

Photo Credit: Thomas Samuels

Leading and delegating are two important skills that go hand in hand for a CEO. Plenty of business owners run into trouble when they lack the ability to delegate work effectively. They end up with too much on their plate, which can lead to delays, errors, inefficiencies, and lower quality. Or they micromanage their staff and risk losing or underutilizing their talent. At the same time, as you delegate more work you need to keep everyone on the same page, motivated, and following the same set of values. Strong leadership skills are necessary to set the tone for a company’s culture, inspire your team, and rally everyone around a common goal.

Thanks Thomas Samuels, Cardinal Expo!

#3- Confidence

Photo Credit: Shideh Kaviani

The most essential leadership skill for an entrepreneur is confidence. Confidence in yourself, in your business and in your team is imperative to operating a successful business. Your team members look up to you and will feed off the confidence you have in yourself. Your team will feed off the confidence you have in your business, and thus in the work that they are doing. Your team will feed off the confidence you instil in themselves, which will help them work at maximum motivation and morale.

Thanks to Shideh Kaviani, Naked Wardrobe!

#4- Problem solving skills

Photo Credit: Stephanie Venn-Watson

A CEO must have strong problem-solving skills to tackle any issues that may arise. Businesses will consistently face challenges as the company develops over time. Whether it's industry changes, employee retention or technology issues that are out of our control, it's important for CEOs to remain level-headed and determine a solution quickly and effectively. How a CEO responds to those challenges will determine a company’s success.

Thanks to Stephanie Venn-Watson, Fatty15!

#5- Effective leadership

Photo Credit: Steven Light

One essential skill needed to be a successful CEO is effective leadership. CEOs must inspire and guide their teams, set a clear vision, make strategic decisions, and lead by example. Strong leadership encompasses the ability to communicate a compelling vision, delegate tasks effectively, solve complex problems, and adapt to changing business environments. It also involves being empathetic, approachable, and able to motivate and align the organization toward common goals. Leadership is a cornerstone skill that underpins a CEO's ability to drive their company's success.

Thanks to Steven Light, Avenue B!

#6- Self-awareness

Photo Credit: Cheshtha Lakhchaura

One often overlooked but crucial skill for a CEO is self-awareness. It's about understanding yourself – your strengths, weaknesses, what drives you, and how you handle your feelings. Being self-aware is a game-changer for CEOs because it helps in making better decisions. When you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can make choices that align with your values. It's important to know yourself and build strong connections with your team. Listening is a goldmine for understanding what's happening. Staying humble, learning from mistakes, and staying super passionate about your business are must-haves.

Thanks to Cheshtha Lakhchaura, Gleexa!

#7- Setting a positive example

Photo Credit: Loren Howard

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I've learned that the ability to lead, inspire, and collaborate with a team is essential. CEOs must be visionaries, capable of not only creating a clear and inspiring vision for their company but also rallying their team around that vision. Leadership extends beyond decision-making; it's about setting a positive example, fostering a culture of innovation, and continuously striving for growth. So, for aspiring CEOs, honing your leadership abilities should be a top priority on your journey to success.

Thanks to Loren Howard, Prime Plus Mortgages!

#8- Collaboration

Photo Credit: Dr. Miles Beckett

CEO's must remain open to the idea of collaboration. While the initial dream could be to work entirely for yourself, call all the shots, and not share any of the profits, the truth is that you will probably need some help. Even if it's just a little bit of outsourcing, you eventually need to accept that you cannot always do everything alone. Be grateful to those who are willing to help and understand that team efforts can often expedite the progress of a business.

Thanks to Dr. Miles Beckett, Flossy!

#9- Building an outstanding team

Photo Credit: Seth Besse

Building an outstanding team is your ticket to success, and leaders who can both attract and keep top talent are like the magic wand of productivity. To unleash their full potential, you've got to create a team that's all in—one that's deeply committed to your organization's growth. And it's not just about wooing highly qualified candidates with perks like signing bonuses and competitive salaries. To keep those star players in your corner, you've got to build an environment where they're encouraged to shine their brightest because they believe wholeheartedly in your mission.

Thanks to Seth Besse, Undivided!

#10- Leadership

Photo Credit: Johannes Larsson

Being a CEO is not just about being the boss. It's about leadership. The skills which I've developed as a solopreneur, have led me to becoming the CEO of a multi-million-dollar global business with only a team of 70 remote members in less than a decade. Soft skills such as communication, empathy and having a vision which your team believe in are essential for talent retention and loyalty. Then there are other skills such as effective delegation and team building, financial acumen, strategic thinking, and storytelling which will not only impact your leadership but also your bottom line.

Thanks to Johannes Larsson, Financer.com!

#11- Adaptability

Photo Credit: James Emery

As the co-founder and CEO of The Neighbours Cellar, a business that specializes in personalized wine gift boxes, I've found that adaptability, people management, and a keen eye for detail are essential skills for the role. Adaptability allows you to respond to market changes and customer demands effectively, especially in an industry as dynamic as e-commerce. People management is crucial, not just for leading your team but also for understanding customer needs and maintaining relationships with suppliers.

Thanks to James Emery, The Neighbours Cellar!

#12- Emotional intelligence

Listen to the full podcast. This is Originally posted here.

25 Entrepreneurs Explain Their Motivation to Grow Their Business

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:16:29 -0400

Being an entrepreneur or business owner has its share of ups and downs. While the downs can be pretty low the ups always seem to triumph for a true entrepreneur at heart. Milestones are what entrepreneurs and business owners work towards. Once you finally reach a certain point then reflection can truly begin. Finding the motivation in growing your business keeps it from becoming stale in the long run. No matter which part you love most, loving them all is equally as important.

We asked entrepreneurs and business owners what motivates them about growing their business and below are their replies.

#1- Empowering women to reach their potential

Photo Credit: Roopa Gulati

My motivation for growing “The Style and Mindset Connection” is deeply rooted in my passion for helping independent professional women reach their full potential. Many of these women have faced challenges that have affected their self-esteem and hindered their professional growth. By expanding my business, I can reach and empower more of these incredible women, helping them regain confidence, improve their mindset, and elevate their personal and professional lives. It's immensely rewarding to witness their transformation and see the positive impact it has on their productivity and results.

Thanks to Roopa Gulati, The Style and Mindset Connection!

#2- Passion and purpose

Photo Credit: Daniyal Sanaullah

Growing our business is driven by a deep passion for what we do. We started SocialSharings because we believe in the power of connecting people and businesses through social media. Every day, we see the positive impact our platform has on individuals and brands, and that's what keeps us going. The thrill of innovation and the desire to make a difference in the world through technology constantly fuels our drive. We also understand that growth brings opportunities for our team to learn and develop, which is incredibly motivating. Ultimately, our journey to grow SocialSharings is fueled by a combination of passion, purpose, and the pursuit of excellence.

Thanks to Daniyal Sanaullah, SocialSharings!

#3- Love of travel

Photo Credit: James Smith

First and foremost, I am motivated by a love of travel and a faith in the transformative powers of travel. Travel-Lingual was founded to make travel more accessible and rewarding for people of all backgrounds.In addition to passion, the need to innovate and make a difference is a major factor. In conclusion, I am driven by the outstanding individuals on my team. Their commitment, ingenuity, and collective vision motivate me to lead and expand Travel-Lingual into a global leader in the travel sector. Together, we are redefining the way people travel, and that is a journey that excites me daily.

Thanks to James Smith, Travel-Lingual!

#4- Independence and market share

Photo Credit: Percy Grunwald

When I started my business, there were several factors that I considered. The main reason for entrepreneurship is usually that people want to be their boss and avoid corporate slavery. When there is no profit sharing, the motivation to grow increases, regardless of the several challenges involved such as capital, the risks involved, and competition. Market share: My marketing team has successfully run some large-scale social media marketing campaigns which lead to great sales boosts. This gave me the motivation to grow my business.

Thanks to Percy Grunwald, hostingdata.com!

#5- Maximize impact

Photo Credit: Alex Freeburg

So, why do I want to grow my business? Simple — expand reach, maximize impact. My motivation is rooted in the knowledge that there are so many people out there who need legal guidance but are either unsure where to turn or hesitant due to the complexities of the legal system. When you can make the legal process more accessible and human, it's not just good business — it's socially responsible. Just like a lifebuoy in the open sea, legal help can be a lifesaver, and the more people we can throw that lifeline to, the better.

Thanks to Alex Freeburg, Freeburg Law!

#6- Passion for well-being of pets

Photo Credit: Mathew Coulton

First off, as the founder of “Gentle Dog Trainers,” I'm incredibly passionate about the well-being of our furry friends. This passion has driven me to create a platform where dog owners can find not just trainers, but compassionate professionals who understand the importance of positive reinforcement and empathy in training. It's a mission close to my heart, and it's what motivates me every day. Now, let's talk about what motivates other entrepreneurs and business owners to grow their businesses. Motivation can vary widely, but there are some common themes that resonate with many of us.

Thanks to Mathew Coulton, Gentle Dog Trainers!

#7- Enriching customer experiences

Photo Credit: Andy LaPointe

The motivation to grow our nationally award-winning gourmet food company, Traverse Bay Farms, is our ability to be a part of the life experience of countless people. We understand our customer buy our products for the special events and experiences in their lives. For example, our products are being enjoyed during birthday parties, graduations, engagement parties, baby showers, more. This means we aren't cherry juice concentrate in a bottle, we are helping our clients enjoy memorable moments in their lives.

Thanks to Andy LaPointe, Traverse Bay Farms!

#8- Empowering children and families

Photo Credit: Seth Besse

Every child deserves to thrive, no matter what challenges they face. Throughout my experience, I have seen firsthand the incredible strength and determination of families raising children with disabilities and learning differences. Our goal is to provide them with the tools and resources they need to navigate this unpredictable journey. This way, we can help parents and caregivers better understand and meet their children's specific needs, resulting in the best possible outcomes for everyone involved.

Thanks to Seth Besse, Undivided.io!

#9- Passion and personal growth

Photo Credit: Tabatha Farnel

My motivation to grow my business stems from a combination of personal and professional factors. First and foremost, I'm driven by a passion for what I do. I'm driven to share my enthusiasm and make a positive impact in people's lives. This intrinsic motivation fuels my desire to expand and reach a broader audience. Additionally, I'm inspired by the opportunity for the learning and creativity that growth brings. Growing my business allows me to take on new challenges and continuously evolve both personally and professionally.

Thanks to Tabatha Farnel, Aroma Authority!

#10- Take on new challenges and continuously evolve

Photo Credit: Ankit Prakash

At the core, my motivation to grow my software product technology company isn't merely about revenue figures or market dominance. Think of it as cultivating a garden; each product we develop, each client we assist, and every retail, D2C ecommerce, and SaaS business I mentor, are seeds we're sowing. As these seeds flourish, they transform into flowers—representing innovation, solutions, and transformative impacts. Managing my AI and software products team directly, I've witnessed first-hand the ripple effect of empowering small, high-performing teams.

Thanks to Ankit Prakash, Sprout24!

#11- Fostering growth and innovation

Photo Credit: Christian Piller

Shrinkage includes inventory loss from other sources like returns fraud and human error. The current returns process has too many touchpoints where shrinkage can happen. The expansion of e-commerce should also bring about seeing returns as a strategic lever, similar to how companies used faster delivery to drive customer experience and revenue.

Thanks to Christian Piller, Pollen Returns!

#2- Envisioning a strategic direction

Photo Credit: Danielle Sabrina

I think that it is of paramount importance for a CEO to possess the ability to envision a strategic direction and be able to conceptualize the path required to realize that vision. Often underestimated, intuition serves as a vital resource for an effective CEO, allowing them to navigate situations characterized by limited data yet full of potentially lucrative opportunities. Another critical attribute for a CEO is an acute sense of self-awareness.

Thanks to Danielle Sabrina, Society22 PR!

#3- Investing both time and finance

Photo Credit: Jonathan Hussey

The biggest thing for me is to understand what you're undertaking before you start. Services like Shopify and BigCommerce have given many people the impression that eCommerce is an easy industry to succeed in. The reality is that eCommerce is not quick, easy, or cheap, and getting your store online is only a small part of the battle. You need to be prepared for hard work and to invest significantly both in time and financially if you expect to compete, and succeed. However, if you do manage to find success, the rewards can be significant.

Thanks to Jonathan Hussey, Developer Connection!

#4- Invest in content marketing

Photo Credit: Alex Nigmatulin

As entrepreneurs and business owners, one of our top tips for building a successful e-commerce venture is to invest in content marketing right from day one. While platforms like Instagram offer a great starting point, the key to differentiation lies in the age-old strategy of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). By creating high-quality, engaging content on your website, you drive sustained traffic over the long term and establish yourself as a reliable player in the market.

Thanks to Alex Nigmatulin, PRNEWS.IO!

#5- Calculate stock reorder levels

Photo Credit: Dani Mechlowitz

When building an e-commerce business, it's essential to keep track of your inventory to avoid sell-out periods. In that initial growth phase, running out of stock can be detrimental and slow down the momentum of your business growth. As soon as you have 2-3 months' worth of sales data to work with, use a formula to calculate stock reorder levels to ensure you always have stock ready to go, especially if you're promoting your products on platforms known for viral content, like TikTok.

Thanks to Dani Mechlowitz, Delta Fulfilment!

#6- Hire an attorney and SEO expert

Photo Credit: Priscilla Christine

When establishing your business, there are several essential tips to keep in mind for long-term success. First and foremost, consider hiring an attorney to assist you in setting up your business structure, drafting contracts, and establishing store policies. I also suggest protecting your brand by trademarking your business name, ensuring it's uniquely yours. With an e-commerce business, it will be difficult to succeed without a strong online presence so you should prioritize SEO by either hiring an expert or researching how to optimize your digital efforts.

Thanks to Priscilla Christine, The Little Catholic!

#7- Differente from the competition

Photo Credit: Chris Gerbig

The key to success for a new e-commerce business owner would be to find something that differentiates from the competition. There has to be some sort of ‘angle’ or unique aspect of the business that allows the company to stand out. Think of it from the customer's perspective – Why should this customer shop from your store instead of the other stores selling this product? Without separating yourself from competitors, it will be more difficult to succeed in an already flooded market.

Thanks to Chris Gerbig, Pink Lily!

#8- Focusing on digital marketing and UX

Photo Credit: Todd Simon

For 60 years decades, my family’s 106-year-old business has provided at-home delivery services for gourmet meat lovers. These days, we have a strong e-commerce presence – focusing heavily on digital marketing and user experience, providing deals and promotions throughout the year on the Omaha Steaks website. Across these efforts, we strive to keep consumers engaged by offering tips from butchers, recipes from our chefs, and tutorials on how to prepare your food.

Thanks to Todd Simon, Omaha Steaks!

#9- Design a user-friendly e-commerce website

Photo Credit: Brian David Crane

Designing a fully functional and user-friendly e-commerce website is critical for an e-commerce business. A website is a digital storefront for customers to order and place products in their online shopping cart. The first step is to have a domain name that matches your business name. One can choose to build their online eCommerce shops on inclusive and pre-made e-commerce shopping software platforms like Woocommerce, Shopify, Squarespace, or Magento based on what suits their bandwidth and individual needs and how they will manage inventory and shipping orders.

Thanks to Brian David Crane, Caller Smart!

#10- Go offline

Photo Credit: Jane Harbison

An important part of growing an online business is going offline. There are many ways to do this, including going onto other people’s podcasts, talking at events, attending local Chamber of Commerce functions, talking about what you do at parties, and writing articles for other people’s publications like this one. But if you are an introvert, all this public speaking and networking may terrify you. There is one cheap and often forgotten way. It is to wear your business on a T-shirt.

Thanks to Jane Harbison, Jane Harbison Design!

#11- Optimize the online shopping cart

Photo Credit: Stephanie Venn-Watson

Losing customers during the checkout process is a major pain point for eCommerce merchants. Therefore, I recommend fully optimizing your online shopping cart to eliminate pain points. Ensure your checkout experience is fast and straightforward. Consider implementing a one-click buying option so customers can purchase items instantly. By eliminating a long and complicated payment process, shoppers are much more likely to complete their purchases.

Thanks to Stephanie Venn-Watson, fatty15!

#12- Focus on UX and website design

Photo Credit: Steven Light

Prioritize user experience (UX) and website design. A well-designed, user-friendly website can significantly impact your business‘s success. Ensure that your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and is mobile-responsive to cater to a diverse audience. Implement clear product categorization, intuitive search functionality, and a streamlined checkout process. High-quality product images, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews can also enhance the user experience.

Thanks to Steven Light, Avenue B!

#13- Pay attention to product pages

Photo Credit: Nikhil Jogia

When operating an e-commerce business, your product pages are your frontline sales team — only there's no room for negotiation. Every element on the page needs to be tuned to help convert visits into sales. I can't overemphasize the importance of high-quality images and thorough, easy-to-understand descriptions. We've found that this approach encourages customers to make purchases and establishes a level of trust that turns them into repeat clients.

Thanks to Nikhil Jogia, Jogia Diamonds!

#14- Blend technology and marketing

Photo Credit: James Emery

Building an e-commerce business like The Neighbours Cellar involves a blend of technology, marketing, and customer-centricity. First, invest in a reliable and scalable e-commerce platform that can adapt as your business grows; we opted for Shopify for its robustness and ease of use. Second, focus on digital marketing channels that align with your target audience—SEO, social media, and email marketing have been invaluable for us.

Thanks to James Emery, The Neighbours Cellar!

#15- Build customer loyalty

Photo Credit: Liz Raad

We can safely say that e-commerce is among the most common types of online business. And yet, it’s surprising how hesitant small businesses are to engage in loyalty programs. And that can make or break your customer retention, especially in the early stages. If you’re still building your customer base, you can offer referrals for expensive products/services or first-time buyer incentives – for example, a free gift or special discount with the second purchase.

Thanks to Liz Raad, eBusiness Institute!

#16- Focus on traffic-generating skill

Listen to the full podcast. This is Originally posted here.

Monday Motivation: You Must Come Back And Finish What You Started

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:16:14 -0400

This motivational video is to help CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners start the week off inspired to become great.

Here are some takeaways from the video:

Sorround yourself with people who will challenge you to grow

Control what you can control

There is a light within ourselves that can guide us forward during the darkest of times

The best version of yourself is yet to be revealed to the world

27 Entrepreneurs List Their Favorite Business Books

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 12:16:24 -0400

As musician Frank Zappa once said, “So many books, so little time.” For a business owner or budding entrepreneur, books can be a life preserver. Of course, valuable lessons often come from doing. Business lessons can be learned by trial and error and by putting yourself out on the line. But the same lessons can also be learned from a book. Reading about the errors and triumphs of other business leaders can prevent you from making mistakes and push you in the direction of success. Beyond lessons, a good business book can inspire you to lift your business to an even higher level.

Below is a selection of business books chosen as favorites by entrepreneurs and business owners.

#1- “Good to Great” by Jim Collins

Photo Credit: Vikas Kaushik

Collins' ideas on focused thinking, exacting action, and unshakable dedication to excellence have perfectly complemented my customer-focused mindset and TechAhead's quest for digital transformation expertise. “Good to Great” emphasizes the importance of consistent discipline, technology-enabled agility, and a team-driven strategy, just as TechAhead works to exceed client expectations through new mobile apps and digital solutions.

Thanks to Vikas Kaushik, TechAhead!

#2- “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek

Photo Credit: Mark Buskuhl

This great book by Simon Sinek tells the story of how leaders can inspire others to take action through a simple but powerful model, which he calls the Golden Circle. It focuses on understanding why we do things and how those reasons can become motivating forces for people. It also explains how our why can drive our success and help us achieve more. Sinek explains his theory by using real-life examples from some of the world's most successful companies, including Apple, Starbucks, and Google.

Thanks to Mark Buskuhl, Ninebird Properties!

#3- All You Need to Know About the Music Business

Photo Credit: Alyssa J. Devine

“All You Need to Know About the Music Business” by attorney Donald S. Passman provides practical insight for creatives with limited knowledge of business principles. The book begins by providing a 10,000-foot view of the music industry and the different considerations involved with hiring an attorney, accountant, and other business professionals. Passman uses plain language to describe the recent changes in the law (and standard business practices) that have affected and will continue to impact the music industry, such as streaming and the Music Modernization Act (MMA).

Thanks to Alyssa J. Devine, Purple Fox Legal!

#4- “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

Photo Credit: Nicholas Dragolea

My favorite business book is the classic “Think and Grow Rich” as it has been an essential cornerstone in my journey as an entrepreneur. Not a huge reader myself, it’s actually the only book that I found myself reading three times! Authored by Napoleon Hill, the book focuses on priceless business advice on positive thinking and overcoming adversity both in business and in personal life. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone whether in their teens, twenties, or later in life.

Thanks to Nicholas Dragolea, Fetched!

#5- “Playing to Win” by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

Photo Credit: Corwin Smith

I recommend Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin as my go-to book. This book is the perfect example of strategic thinking. It is about identifying where you’re going to play in the marketplace, which customers you’re going to serve, and how you secure those customers. The book also teaches you that not all customers are good customers.

Thanks to Corwin Smith, Culture to Cash!

#6- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini

Photo Credit: Evan Tunis

This classic business book is a must-read for entrepreneurs and business owners. Written by Dr. Robert Cialdini, it provides insights into the psychology of persuasion and how to be an effective negotiator and leader. It covers topics such as understanding people's motivations, creating trust with clients and customers, and mastering the art of influence. This book has been praised by entrepreneurs and business owners for its engaging writing style, practical lessons, and insights into effective communication.

Thanks to Evan Tunis, Florida Healthcare Insurance!

#7- “One Little Spark” by Marty Sklar

Photo Credit: David Brewer

Without a doubt, one of my favorite business books is ‘One Little Spark’ by Marty Sklar, the former head of Imagineering at Disney. It’s a collection of anecdotes and personal stories that incorporate Mickey’s Ten Commandments and the Disney methodology into their narrative to help the reader understand how to implement and utilize them in their professional and personal lives. It was, is, and always will be indispensable to me and the way, my business, works

Thanks to David Brewer, Protect Line!

#8- “Hard Times Create Strong Men” by Stefan Aarnio

Photo Credit: Luke Lintz

Gen Z is extremely lazy. This idea immediately brings to mind insights from Stefan Aarnio’s book “Hard Times Create Strong Men”. He drew a comparison to a cycle, where challenging times give rise to individuals with resilience. These individuals then contribute to periods of prosperity. However, during these prosperous times, a certain complacency can set in, potentially leading to a generation that faces difficulties. His explanation of this cycle sheds light on the changes within our society.

Thanks to Luke Lintz, HighKey Enterprises LLC!

#9- “Making It In Real Estate” by John McNellis

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ayala

Making It In Real Estate by John McNellis is a great deep dive into real estate investment, ownership, and development. What I loved most about the book is how super real it is. If you're in this business you'll immediately recognize the wily developers of the 1980s and the overconfidant upstarts at the turn of the century. It provides you not only with hard-hitting facts about the industry but it's more importantly filled with personal anecdotes told by a natural storyteller, who paid his dues in this business.

Thanks to Jonathan Ayala, Hudson Condos!

#10- “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss

Photo Credit: Karen Green

He presents nine principles of negotiation that might be counterintuitive such as never splitting the difference! which as a sales expert and former retail buyer, I totally agree with. If you are selling to someone and they start with a ridiculously low offer, splitting the difference between that and your reasonable offer is only going to lead to a lower-than-necessary result. There is loads more valuable advice just like this and is relevant whether you are seeking out new business or negotiating with suppliers.

Thanks to Karen Green, Buyerology!

#11- “Company of One” by Paul Jarvis

Listen to the full podcast. This is Originally posted here.

Characteristic	SEO	PPC
Payment Structure	Ongoing effort and optimization	Budget for each click
Focus	Organic search rankings	Paid ad campaigns

Strategy	Benefits
PPC	Quick wins and immediate visibility.
SEO	Sustainable, long-term growth.