It's All About The Questions

To some, selling your business is a sellout and that you should build a business for legacy and pass it on to your family. To others, before you even open the doors of your business you should have a plan for how you're going to sell the business and every day in business be growing it to sell it. I don't think it matters what other people think you should do with your business. I think what matters is what you want to do with your business. And that may change overtime as well. Whether you plan on selling your business or not, understanding the principles of what somebody is looking for if they want to buy it can help your business achieve greater success. Even if you never sell. My guest today is John Warrillow, founder of Built to Sell and The Value Builder System, a successful entrepreneur himself and the author of numerous podcasts and books on building and selling businesses. John and I talk about his latest book The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning Strategies and Secret Hacks for Exiting on Top. H

Does the definition of success change based on the industry you're in or your gender? There are stories that go around that say that women don't support women yet from all the interviews I've done, and my experiences in the tech and business worlds, I've found that that is not the truth. I found that more women support women then we are led to believe. My guest today lives and breathes her philosophy that success is not about external trappings and that if we learn to get clear to determine what it is we truly want and align our internal and external lives with that, then happiness and success can be achieved. Nicole Scheffler is a woman in tech, although like many of us women in tech, she just prefers to say she's in tech and forget adding the woman part. Nicole has spent much of her career helping others succeed as she succeeded. On today's episode Nicole and I talk about success, lifting other people up, and the questions she asks herself to align herself with her own definition of success.   Nicole Scheff

What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Do you need an MBA? Or rather do you need the expertise that somebody who has not only gotten an MBA but has also run multiple successful businesses and helped other entrepreneurs launch grow and sell their businesses can share? Wouldn't it be great to have in one place, the foundational pieces to every successful business? This episode features Harry Brelsford who not only has an MBA and a few other degrees but has done all of the above. On this episode Harry and I talk about what makes a successful entrepreneur, the perils pitfalls and excitement and what he is learned from guiding himself and others in nearly three decades plus of his own entrepreneurial journey and what guided him to write his latest book, Pocket MBA Instant Entrepreneur. Harry Brelsford is the founder of SMB Nation (www.smbnation.com) from Bainbridge Island, Wash. He is a long-time SMB channel partner who has served customers and mentored other partners (SMB Nation has over 45,000 members who are

Widow. The word conjures up so much loss and sadness. You are given that title when you lose someone you loved very much and planned a life with forever. A life you certainly never expected to change dramatically when your husband gets diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and dies eight months later. How do you recover from that with any sort of grace when you have two kids to take care of and a life to rebuild that looks different than you expected it to? Jenny Lisk created the Widowed Parent Podcast and wrote the book, Future Widow: Losing My Husband, Saving My Family and Finding My Voice because she saw a need to help others through what she went through. She wants to educate people BEFORE they have to go through losing a loved one while providing a resource for those who are in it now. Take a listen as we discuss the questions Jenny didn't even know to ask, the answers she found during and after her husband passed and how being vulnerable helped her heal and help others. Jenny Lisk is an author, speak

Anne Bruce joins me today to talk about how anyone can discover their own personal True North to help you have your best life possible. She shares how it is never to late to live your calling, how courage is more than you think it is and you have more of it then you think, and how competencies don't always lead to your vocational calling. She shares her 1 question she asks herself to keep her eye on her true north. The conversation on this episode is a great way to lead into your new year, or anytime actually. If you are thinking to yourself, "I need to figure out what I want for me", or "I wish I knew what I am meant to be doing", then take a listen as Anne shares that and more. Anne Bruce is an popular speaker and author coach. She's also a talent manager who works with celebrities, politicians, TV and sports stars. She's spoken for the White House and the Pentagon, Coca Cola, Sprint, and Fortune 100 companies worldwide. Anne's written 25 books translated into 36 languages for the largest publishers in the

My Christmas week show is, at the end of the day, about love. I was honored to have Bonnie Violet and Tina Frank say yes when I asked them to be on my show. Their story is a powerful one about how love is more powerful than any barrier if you choose to allow it into your heart first. Take a listen as Bonnie Violet and her aunt share how they came back together after almost 30 years apart because of labels and how they had defined each other based on outside factors. This is a heartfelt and, for me, eye opening conversation about labels, faith, love. perception and perspectives. Tina Frank, a conservative Christian woman and Bonnie Violet, a transgender queer drag queen have an anti-cancel culture conversation on their podcast, Splintered Grace. While many family members are choosing to no longer speak after a revelation like Bonnie Violet shared, they have chosen to sit at the table and engage in difficult conversation to find peace and restoration.

Joel Friedman left Madison Avenue in NYC to go from Ad man to Executive Producer and writer in Hollywood. Along the way he learned that being authentic matters, being found while being not being authentic will always bite you back (he is authentic but not so some who have auditioned for him), and why he wants to produce something with "legs." On this episode Joel shares with me how he has embraced the changing world and face of TV, what drives him, and how to get your message out there while staying true to yourself. Hint, it really isn't that hard as it is made out to be. Joel also talks about finding the story in all he does. Joel Friedman is an Executive Producer who has show run, developed written scripted and unscripted series. He has partnered with and developed series for companies such as Mark Burnett, Bunim Murray, Fremantle, Next, Spike, NBC, Bravo, Broadway Video and Kenan Thompson of SNL as well as for other networks and production companies

I love Anne Grady. Talking to her is like getting a PhD is how to build and recognize resiliency. Her life experiences give her massive credentials to speak to her topic of Resiliency no matter how bad life hits you. On this episode Anne Grady shares answers to my questions about resiliency and productivity.  That one hit home for me which is why I asked the question and you might be surprised by the answer she shared. We also discuss the benefit of a worry window, why it is important to know your cognitive shortcuts and a key question to ask yourself on a  regular basis to improve resiliency. Hint, it has something to do with my favorite idea of perspectives. Anne Grady began studying the brain and neurodevelopment to find answers while searching for treatment options for her son, Evan, after he was diagnosed with severe mental illness and Autism. Then, after being diagnosed with an avocado-sized tumor in her salivary gland in 2014, she had to lean on the tools she learned with her son to help her through th

Monkey, iron, rope, house, paper, shoe, worm, envelope, pencil, river, rock, tree, cheese, dollar A list that makes no sense but a list I still remember that Chester Santos, the International Man of Memory, challenged me with to show how anyone, instantly, can learn to remember things and keep remembering them. I did this show live on November 24 and still remember them, because of the tips he taught me on the show, on December 4th. How does one become a world famous memory master and coach? And how can you improve your memory? Take a listen and try the techniques he shares on the show. If you want more, he makes an incredible offer at the end of the show. Chester Santos – "The International Man of Memory" has left an impression on all corners of the earth. With his unique ability to not only demonstrate extraordinary feats of the mind, but also educate others to do the same, this U.S. Memory Champion is widely regarded to be the world's leading memory skills expert. Through his entertaining & educational

Frustrated because you want to build your success your way versus the traditional way of thinking? Wondering if it is possible to lead your business from idea to success with heart and soul and some sound business strategy foundations? The answer to those questions lies with my guest, Christine Kane, author of The Soul Sourced Entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of Uplevel You. As a successful songwriter and musician she learned that it is possible to have your career, your way, and to have massive success. She founded her in-demand consulting/coaching firm because everyone wanted to know how she did it. Take a listen as we discuss, how intention is different from the Law of Attraction, how you can let your soul fly but don't forget the business strategy and tactics too. Christine lays out how you can get started today and how her journey prepared her for this next step in her career. Before Christine Kane founded what became a multi-million dollar coaching company, she spent fifteen years in the music industry,

Wouldn't it be great if you never had to "turn your business around" because your business was failing? What if you knew what the warning signs were, or better yet, never had to worry about them because you designed your business to to weather any changes and you knew what to look for as early warning signs? No one can design a business to weather any changes without impact but what you can do is learn how to monitor your business and minimize the ups and downs. You can even learn to be comfortable looking at your business finances without freaking out. I see a lot of this with my clients as does my guest, Steven Kaufman of Red Fender. Steven Kaufman is the author of The Garbageman's Guide to Life and a sought-after business strategist and turnaround expert. On this episode Steven shares the lessons he has learned helping others turn their business from the red to the black (if you don't know what that means you need this episode). I don't know about you, but knowing what to look for, and the practices and to

Learning how to tell the story of your brand is often the key to success yet it often feels like the hardest thing to do for many entrepreneurs. Perhaps it is the vulnerability that may come from sharing your creation story? Or perhaps the lack of clarity of what your brand stands for or who you created your brand to serve? Or maybe, it is as simple as you do not know how to put into words what you do? Ira Gostin has been helping companies tell their brand stories for decades. First as a photojournalist and reporter and then as one of the top brand strategists. Along the way he has learned that sharing your story is a critical key to success and on this episode he shares key steps and questions you can ask yourself and staff to create your story and make a difference for your clients, your staff and your business. Ira Gostin is a storyteller and has been since the age of seven. From his first foray into writing for his grade school, mimeographed newspaper to his critically acclaimed pizza review column in the

Forget everything you thought you knew about being an entrepreneur. What if you could have the life and business you want? It really is possible says Terry Brock and he lives and breathes what he preaches. With the launch of his new "agoropreneurs" movement Terry took the time to share with me, and you my listeners, why the idea of an entrepreneur is ripe for change. He shares how and why the time is now to let go old thinking and embrace being "uncommon" while taking responsibility for your actions. This episode is filled with perspective shifting ideas, laughter and a plan to help you turn your life and business into your dream. Terry Brock brings a passion for technology, a sense of history, and real-world business strategies to every conversation. He is more than a technology trends expert. He's a Hall of Fame and Cavett Award winning speaker, virtual presenter, interviewer, published author, and coach who packs everything he touches with solid business strategies meant to build relationships and improve

Marketing is not a dirty word. Done well, marketing aligns your business goals with your client goals and greats a stream of satisfaction across all business departments and end user resources. So why do many think that marketing is a dirty word? Heather K. Margolis is a serial entrepreneur who lives and breathes marketing and believes that when marketing is done well it lifts a product and company up. If you have a product or service and no one knows its value to them then is it really a product or service? Think the old story, if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears, does it make a sound? Effective marketing makes a noise. A good noise. It tells a story about the product, the value it provides and it also tells something about you and your brand. Ineffective marketing IS overhead. Why? Because it doesn't do those things and it doesn't make people want to buy or tell others. During this episode Heather shares her journey creating two top marketing agencies in the tech world, creating stories that change

Mike Faith, CEO of headsets.com shares how he built a business that has become renowned for its fanatical attention to customer service and how he pivoted it to become poised to take over the world of headset design and sales. Headsets.com started out as a discounter of other companies office headsets and now 40% of their business is selling headsets they design and manufacture. They are known for their raving fans and their word of mouth advertising and also for their boxes having tootsie rolls tucked inside. How did a small discounter become a $30+million dollar company? How did a culture of enhancing the customer experience become a model others try to emulate? How does the CEO live the model and support his employees in having exceptional lives beyond the workplace? Take a listen as Mike Faith share answers to all those questions and more on this episode. Mike Faith, CEO and Founder of headsets.com left school at 15, and after a number of varying jobs with varying success, he decided that his own business

Writing copy to sell things is a science. Writing that same copy in a voice that does not even match your age, race, nationality and more is an art. Making that same copy wildly successful is similar to the  difference between me trying to play the piano and Mozart.  Carline Anglade-Cole is a copywriting Mozart. She is able to switch faces and voices with apparent ease while writing copy that converts to sales for her clients. Her copy doesn't just convert once though. It keeps converting over and over and over again. On this episode Carline discusses her new book, My Life as a 50+ Year Old White Male: How a Mixed-Race Woman Stumbled into Direct-Response Copywriting and Succeeded!  Carline answers questions on how she deals with a blank page, putting herself into the voice of the target client and how she deals with time interruptions and sets boundaries with her family to keep sacred her "money time." Carline Anglade-Cole is kick-butt international direct-response copywriter who specializes in the alternativ

I recently had a client say he wasn't sure what happiness is for him and that it was something that could never be achieved. That it was a moving target. That got me thinking since I've felt happy most of my life with bouts of sadness woven in when loved ones passed or something else happened. But even then, I had a core of happiness. So what is happiness and does it matter where it comes from? Patricia Noll wrote a powerful book, Good With Me, A Simple Approach to Real Happiness from the Inside Out and I asked her back on the show to answer my clients question about whether happiness is real or an abstract concept that cannot be lastingly achieved. During this episode you will learn about "other-dependent self esteem", the "Feel-Good-Now Syndrome" and how you can begin to spark happiness from the inside out and develop and create your own "self-dependent" self esteem. Patricia Noll is the Founder and Executive Director of Focus One, Inc., an Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program, which has been licens

There is a lot of stress in the world today. Some we interpret as good stress and others bad stress. Either way it is stress and it impacts the body and our relationships. What if you could learn how to change your response to stress? Learn how to have stress not sideline you or your family and business? Colonel Deb Lewis, (Ret.) has lived a life filled with stressful choices that she chose. Think 1st female graduating class at West Point, commanded in Iraq and responsible for a $2 billion project while there, in the Pentagon on 9/11 working on anti-terrorism projects, taking care of aging parents and many more. Throughout it all she has managed to find her center. A way of "armoring up" herself with different practices that enable her to coast through challenges that bring many to their knees. Take a listen as Deb shares five things you can do today to shift your response to stress and clarify your priorities. She also has a free offer for two classes she offers, no strings attached. 100% free. What if you c

On the launch day for his new book, Interference, Brad Parks shares his love of physics and writing and how he weaves facts so his fiction reads more like reality. We had a laugh filled conversation filled with non-spoiler moments if you have not read his book yet. I don't often interview fiction writers but I always say yes when Brad is launching a new book. This one is especially intriguing to me as a science geek. Brad's multi-layered plot lines, and characters that have depth to them, always keeps me rooted in place until I finish the book. On this interview Brad and I talk about how his life and neighbors inspire his plots, what it takes to keep his characters true to themselves and why you will never see a curse word in any of his novels. I especially enjoyed the conversation about one curse word he cannot find a replacement for in writing but still does not use. His words at the end of the interview on his purpose in life are words I think I shall always carry with me. International bestselling author

Karen Stultz believes in having an awesome life and is helping others find theirs. After having to make a serious of decisions that left her letting go of work, her home as she knew it, her husband in a way and even who her parents were to her, Karen faced a choice. Could she still have an awesome life even when it seemed as if that would never be possible again? Take a listen as Karen shares the questions she asked that helped her make the choices she made, how she stays "semi-sane" and loving life all while helping others discover their AWESOME life. I think one of my favorite parts in the interview was when she began to discuss music notes and how one note does not a song make. Tell us what stood out for you and how you are leading an awesome life! Karen Stultz is a 6 figure money mindset mentor, online business strategist for solo heart centered entrepreneurs  who want to transition from a J.O.B. to having a lifestyle business that allows them to have more energy, joy, prosperity and freedom to enjoy what