Conversations With A Genius- Fun Small Business Talk

Today’s genius is Richard Boureston. Richard has been copywriting and marketing for nearly 10 years working for companies like Newsmax.  He currently helps companies find $5K, $10K and even $50k single transaction sales in their business. And is famous for his 115 Advertising Card Deck. In today's conversation we discuss: The 3 things you need to know to accurately communicate with anyone Why should you be willing to call your customers and ask them for feedback about your business Where do you and your company sit in the customers mind? Copywriting is salesmanship multiplied    

Today’s genius is Joe Calloway. Joe helps business leaders and entrepreneurs make great companies even better. Joe has been a business author, consultant and speaker for 30 years and his client list reads like an international Who’s Who in business, ranging from companies like Coca Cola and IBM to Cadillac and American Express. Joe also works extensively with small to mid-sized business groups including franchisees, medical practices, law firms, and a range of professional services groups.   In today's conversation we discuss: Learn the importance of finding a mentor who is where you want to be You know what you want… now what? Number one action item for small business owners When you try to resonate with everyone, you resonate with NO ONE The key to success is simple but it’s not easy            

Today’s genius is Craig Simpson. Craig is an expert in the Direct Mail business and he specializes in generating prospects and customers through physical mail. He is Dan Kennedy’s “go-to-guy” for Dan and his clients when it comes to mailing lists and direct mail. Craig works with some of the world’s largest companies on direct mail including Indeed.com, LazydaysRV and Beachbody. Craig has sent out hundreds of millions of sales pieces, he currently sends out almost 300 mail campaigns per year and has sold well over $100-Million in products and services using direct mail.   In today's conversation we discuss: The do’s and don’ts of direct mail marketing Biggest marketing mistake revealed What is every door direct and why is it so powerful? Discover how to link what you’re selling to what your best customers are buying Find out where you can’t afford to be cheap          

Today’s genius is Johnny Lee Dumas. John is the founder & host of an amazing podcast Entrepreneur On Fire which just had its 1st million download month.  John started this podcast in 2012, less than 3 years ago when he hired Jaime Tardy and launched his first podcast episode. Within 6 months of launch, Entrepreneur On Fire had reached 1 Million downloads. One year later Johnny launched Podcaster’s Paradise which lead to his first 100k month in net income. Entrepreneur on Fire was awarded best of iTunes 2013 and John has interviewed hundreds of guests including Tim Ferris and Shark Tank’s very own Barbara Corcoran, not to mention he is a heck of a nice guy- John, say hello to Genius Nation In today's conversation we discuss: Why you need to change the fundamentals of your business to succeed Learn the power of strategically picking your clients How to seek and find your perfect client Why you must be ok with not perfect What to do if your best effort doesn't make your business grow    

Today’s genius is Frank Bria. Frank helps consultants and coaches turn their 6-figure practice into a 7-figure business. He has built and sold tech start ups as well as consulted for the largest international corporations in high tech, finance, and retail on 4 continents. He now takes what he used to teach the Fortune 500 and applies it to entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. He is a 3-time author, speaker, strategist, and host of the podcast, Scale to Success.  In today's conversation we discuss:: Why you need to change the fundamentals of your business to succeed Learn the power of strategically picking your clients How to seek and find your perfect client Why you must be ok with not perfect

Today’s genius is Todd Tresidder. Todd is a former hedge fund manager who “retired” at age 35… 18 years ago. He’s the author of 5 books on personal finance and loves playing the money game like a kid loves playing Monopoly. His specialty is advanced retirement planning and advanced investment strategy to build wealth.   In today's conversation we discuss: What is the one thing that predicts health, wealth and happiness How changing your thoughts can make you wealthy What do the debt ridden do differently than the wealthy Find out why investing is about the process, not just the investment How to get rich as an unemployable person

Today's Genius is Matt Miller, he spent the first 9 years of his career as an Air Force pilot, before entering the corporate world to work at both Abbott Laboratories and Valassis. While a top performer for both companies, his long term desire was to start a business and be his own boss.  A good friend one day mentioned the gum ball machines he and his young daughters owned, and that conversation began a 10 year business quest that has brought Matt's company, School Spirit Vending, to the cutting edge of both the vending and school fundraising industries.  Today, School Spirit Vending's Hassle-Free fundraising program is helping schools across the country raise money in it's own unique way. In today's conversation we discuss:   What you need to know to be your own boss The road to success is a marathon not a sprint Get the right people to hear about your business Make your dreams come true by helping others live their dreams What would happen if you Stopped thinking about it and just did it          

Today's Genius is businessman and Life Coach, Aaron T. Walker Aaron has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others and believes experience is a great teacher. 35 years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron a wealth of experience. Aaron continues to reach new heights and broaden his perspective of the terrain by examining his experiences and growing from them. In today's Conversation we discuss: Why you need to learn to embrace the tension How do you know if you have balance in your life The 3 key ingredients to success The importance of delaying your gratification in your success How to select the right people for your mastermind group

Today's Genius is Larry Winget, bestselling author, television personality, social commentator and internationally acclaimed speaker. His newest book, Grow A Pair: How To Stop Being a Victim and Take Back Your Life, Your Business and Your Sanity is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. He has also written five additional New York Times/Wall Street Journal bestselling books that have been translated into over 20 languages including Shut Up, Stop Whining and Get A Life, You’re Broke Because You Want To Be, It’s Called Work For A Reason, People Are Idiots And I Can Prove It, and Your Kids Are Your Own Fault. He is also a member of the Speaker Hall Of Fame. Larry has starred in his own television series on A&E, two PBS specials and two CNBC specials.  He has appeared on Dr. Phil, The Today Show, Tool Academy, The Big Idea, Larry King and in three national television commercials. Larry is a regular contributor on many national television news shows on the topics of success, business, personal fi

Today's Genius is John Gardner.  With almost 30 years in the industry, John says his most productive moment of insight was when he made the connection between furniture and office culture. John is also the host of BE Culture Radio, a weekly podcast exploring how office culture and leadership lead to success. In today's Conversation we discuss: The importance of a client-centric business model How John built his 10 Million Dollar company from nothing The difference between selling a lifestyle and selling a commodity How to be a one of one

Today's Genius is Valerie Shoopman. Valerie is a Facebook Marketing Expert and Business Strategist. She helps entrepreneurs learn how to leverage the power of Facebook Ads to gain greater brand exposure, attract quality leads, and convert targeted prospects into paying clients. In today's Conversation we discuss: How to capture names and emails from Facebook ads The 3 most important components to your Facebook ad What kind of images work best at attracting your target customer's attention The difference between a like campaign and pay per click and when to use them

Today's Genius is Judy Robinett is the author of How to Be a Power Connector. She is a business thought leader profiled in Forbes, Huffington Post, and Bloomberg as a “super connectors” who uses their 30 years entrepreneurial experience and connections to accelerate growth and enhance profitability of public and private businesses. In today's Conversation we discuss: How to network to raise capitol How to get speaking engagements Why a diamond designer contacted Judy instead of Oprah to get into China How to surround yourself with the right people How to create your own luck What kind of people to avoid when you network and why

Today's Genius is Roger Whitney. Over the past 24 years Roger has dedicated his professional life to helping people Plan Well and Invest Wisely for retirement.He’s worked with countless families to develop and implement plans to work towards their goals, but most importantly, he’s been there to help them adjust as their life unfolded.   In today's Conversation we discuss:  What you need to know before you make the BIG decisions in life What you may think you know about retirement could hurt you How to balance living well today without sacrificing tommorrow How not to budget yourself to death The sweet spot age for investing The best way to determine the value of your products    

Today's guest is Joseph Williams, founder, president and CEO of InDev Capital, a real estate investment advisory firm that specializes in emerging markets in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Joseph is an entrepreneur with experience in investment banking and was the founder of a residential supply company serving developers in the U.S. and Canada.  He  has lived in Brazil for the last five years while studying the marketplace and building his firm. He holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School and speaks and reads Portuguese and Japanese. In today's conversation we discuss: How Joseph Williams sticks out in a crowd What rain, internet and emerging markets have to do with one another where Joseph says half the world's capitol is How Vonage allows you to work in a foreign country on the cheap Hear how JW overcame "working for the family business" when there was no "family business" How spite for Goldman Sachs triggered JW to move to Japan How far

Today's guest is Dorie Clark, a former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Entrepreneur, and the World Economic Forum blog. Recognized as a “branding expert” by the Associated Press, Fortune, and Inc. magazine, Dorie is a marketing strategy consultant and speaker for clients including Google, Microsoft, Yale University, and the like. An Adjunct Professor of Business Administration at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business Dori has guest lectured at Harvard Business School, Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, Wharton, MIT Sloan School of Management, and more. She is a frequent guest on MSNBC and appears in worldwide media including NPR, the Wall Street Journal, and the BBC. In today's conversation we discuss: How to use blogging the right way Why creating your own narrative is so crucial to your marketing What can you outsource and what you should invest time in learning yourself

Today's guest is Jessica Rhodes,  the founder and President of Entrepreneur Support Services, a virtual assistant firm offering a variety of client support and graphic design services to busy entrepreneurs. ESS is the parent company to the wildly popular podcast guest booking firm, Interview Connections. Jessica is also host of the hit weekly web TV show, Interview Connections TV and has her very own podcast, Rhodes to Success In today's conversation we discuss: The importance of leveraging relationships How to start and nurture those relationships How to identify opportunities you already have available to you

Today's guest is Jim Palmer, business building expert and in demand coach. He is the founder of the Dream Biz Academy and Dream Business Coaching and Mastermind Program. Jim is the host of Newsletter Guru TV, the hit weekly Web TV show watched by thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners and he is also the host Stick Like Glue Radio, a weekly podcast based on Jim’s unique brand of smart marketing and business building strategies. Jim is best known internationally as ‘The Newsletter Guru’ and creator of No Hassle Newsletters, the ultimate ‘done-for-you’ newsletter marketing program used by hundreds of clients in nine countries. In today's conversation we discuss: How to earn significantly more in your business The single most important thing that the most successful people do How to purchase speed in your business

Today's guest is Chris Hawker, the Founder of Trident Design, LLC, located in Columbus, Ohio. They focus on inventing cool products and bringing them to market. Trident works on developing their own internally generated ideas, as well as assisting everyday people, startups, and established companies with their ideas. Chris is a lifelong inventor and entrepreneur, and has helped over 100 innovative and unique entrepreneurs to bring their products to market, including the Onion Goggles, the PowerSquid, The and the Coolest Cooler. Today we are going to talk about spotting a good opportunity, developing a compelling prototype, intellectual property, getting things made, licensing and crowdfunding. In today's conversation we discuss: How the invention process really works Why there is no such thing as a million dollar idea The biggest mistake people make when going from idea to product