Many innovative business concepts fall through because the cost and logistics of pulling them off just wouldn’t work. Uzair Ahmed, a Canadian chemical engineer, recognized all the missed opportunities and figured he could design technology and automation to make unworkable business models workable. Uzair, founder of Cottonwood Automation, tested his high-tech, low-overhead system by launching a service that sends car mechanics to the homes or offices of customers. Guess what? It succeeded wildly. While Cottonwood Automation generally focuses on making home service businesses easier to operate, Uzair believes that his method — which brings together automation, AI, global talent, and other digital technologies, can help businesses in almost every industry cut their costs by up to 60%. Best of all, perhaps, it allows owners and CEOs to do more while working less. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Uzair Ahmed, Cottonwood AutomationPosted: December 11, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 37:29Episode: 12.23 To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome.

If you truly could experience your website or bricks-and-mortar store through the eyes of your customers and prospects, you could do a great deal to increase sales and customer satisfaction. Satyam Kantamneni is the founder of UXReactor, a company whose entire focus is on user experience, referred to as UX. His mission: to design or transform businesses to prioritize — above all other considerations — how customers interact with them.  With more than 60 employees spread across three continents, Satyam has enabled his clients to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in bonus income thanks to user-centric innovation. As he explains, the most powerful differentiator in today’s highly competitive business world is the customer’s experience. Master it and you win. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. [Purchase your copy of Satyam’s book, User Experience Design: A Practical Playbook to Fuel Business Growth, here.]  Photo: Satyam Kantamneni, UXReactor Posted: December 4, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 43:37 Episode: 12.22 To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome.

Every day, 3,000 eager entrepreneurs jump into the online sales arena. Ninety percent of them will never make a single sale. Matthew Stafford, co-founder and CEO of Build•Grow•Scale, knows what goes wrong and how to fix it. He and his team use sophisticated analytics to help business owners and entrepreneurs achieve online sales success.  Matthew’s passion lies in empowering others to achieve their goals - whether scaling an existing business or starting from scratch with a new venture altogether. Build•Grow•Scale’s proprietary formula for increasing internet-based sales has nothing to do with driving more traffic to your website or Shopify store. His approach succeeds by getting those prospects who are already visiting a website to click “buy” more often. In a wide-ranging interview, Matthew reveals the technical aspects of online sales but also his broader approach to helping online retailers succeed, how Build•Grow•Scale has successfully adapted to evolving technologies, and his strategies for hiring solid employees and managing a successful consulting firm. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Matthew Stafford, Build•Grow•Scale Posted: November 27, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 35:25 Episode: 12.21 POPULAR  EPISODES: Join in the Celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary Zeynep Ekemen is Out to Prove That What Comes Down Can Always Go Back Up What Everyone Can Learn From a Daring Team of ‘Citizen Scientists’ and Enlightened Physicians

Bronson Hill took it to heart when Warren Buffet warned investors that they will work the rest of their lives if they don’t find a way to make money while they sleep. Bronson became a zealous student of passive investing and, in 2018, with zero prior experience, raised a comparatively tiny $200,000 to form his first real estate syndicate. Today, Bronson, founder and CEO of Bronson Equity, is a general partner in more than $200 million worth of real estate. He is also the author of the recently released book, Fire Yourself: Replace Your Working Income with Passive Income in 3 Years or Less. This week, Bronson reveals his successful passive investing strategies and his approach to raising tens of millions of dollars through syndications. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Bronson Hill, Bronson EquityPosted: November 20, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 41:27Episode: 12.20

Jeff Kikel helps business owners and entrepreneurs attain what he dubs their “Freedom Day,” that juncture in their lives when work becomes optional, not a financial necessity. Jeff has helped many people who believed they’d have to work until retirement, and perhaps beyond, get their finances and investments under control, freeing them from financial worries. His formula for reaching “Freedom Day” begins with a mindset shift in relationship to money: It should work for you, not vice versa. If the idea of working for pleasure, not for survival, appeals to you, you absolutely don’t want to miss a minute of this week’s Monday Morning Radio. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Jeff Kikel, Freedom Day Wealth Management Posted: November 13, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 39:41 Episode: 12.19 POPULAR EPISODES: Nick Loper Can Show You How to Earn Some Serious Extra Income Sometimes, Ignorance is the Perfect Preparation for Running a Successful Business Blaine Oelkers Channels the Wisdom of Carnegie, Nightingale, Rohn and Ziglar

Three years ago, Nick Barrett had an idea — and little else. He envisioned a new, weighted, portable gadget that could keep cords and wires from getting entangled. Nick’s CordBrick is only a tad longer than a large paperclip and about as thick as a quarter. At this year’s National Retail Federation trade show in New York, one of the largest consumer products showcases in the nation, CordBrick was named “coolest product,” nabbing a $10,000 prize. Nick’s experience launching CordBrick mirrors that of many first-time entrepreneurs. He’s made mistakes, learned from them, had the support of friends and mentors, and is now steadily growing his business. Other inventors and entrepreneurs can learn a lot — and save themselves big headaches — by discovering how Nick went from pitching his innovative home and office gadget at flea markets to being a major Amazon and retail success story.  You don’t have to be an entrepreneurial rookie to benefit from Nick’s inspirational story and to relive the magic of starting your first business.  Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Nick Barrett, CordBrickPosted: November 6, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 40:23Episode: 12.18

Zeynep Ekemen has ridden the rollercoaster of COVID-19 and its impact on small businesses. She is the founder of Silver Defender, a company that sells antimicrobial-protected film for high-touch areas — such as door bars and handles, elevator buttons, and guide rails. She launched her business in 2018. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit less than two years later, her sales took off like a rocket, stretching her company’s production and distribution capabilities to the max. But now, as demand has waned, Zeynep is fighting to avoid the fate of so many other businesses that were whipsawed by COVID-19. It's a common dilemma for many small businesses when a product or service they provide experiences a surge in popularity and then fades almost as quickly. Zeynep herself is determined to demonstrate that what comes down can always go back up. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Zeynep Ekemen, Silver DefenderPosted: October 30, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 34:42 Episode: 12.17 RECENT EPISODES: It’s Likely You’d Never Hire Someone Like Gregory Shepard, And You’d Be Mistaken A Proven Formula Anyone Can Use to Obtain Power and Wield Influence Giving Meaning to Life’s Misfortunes

In 1855, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his journal: “If a man has good corn, or wood, or boards, or pigs, to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles, or church organs, than anybody else, you will find a broad, hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.” In time, his words were somehow conflated as the oft-cited quote: "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." Carina Ramirez Cahan, co-founder of Cobalt Rose Company, is testing Emerson’s thesis, having worked with her husband, a respected breast surgeon, to build a better bra. The Cobalt Rose bra utilizes a radically new design that replaces rigid underwires — which many women rely on but hate — with a flexible, patented polymer insert that is molded right into the cups.  Carina promises that her bra will be the most comfortable, supportive, and flattering bra her customers have ever worn. But is that enough? Will that translate into a hefty slice of the annual $12 billion U.S. lingerie market? As Carina knows firsthand, the path to success is more complicated than it might appear at first blush. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Carina Ramirez Cahan, Cobalt Rose CompanyPosted: October 23, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:48 Episode: 12.16 RECENT EPISODES: Management Strategies That For-Profit Businesses Can Glean from a Volunteer Fire Company’s Enduring Success Why You Should Prepare to Sell Your Business Long Before You’re Ready To Walk Away Would You Walk Over Searing Coals or a Bed of Broken Glass to Overcome Your Limiting Fears?

On October 16, 1923 — precisely 100 years ago today — Walt Disney and his older brother Roy launched Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. In time, their business would morph into one of the world’s best-known and most beloved companies. To mark this milestone anniversary, co-hosts Dean and Maxwell Rotbart review the history of The Walt Disney Company and Disneyland, paying special attention to the many practical lessons that executives and entrepreneurs can glean from the Disney successes and failures of the past century. Listeners will also hear from Michael Goldsby, a professor of entrepreneurship at Ball Street University and the co-author of Entrepreneurship the Disney Way. Professor Goldsby was a guest on the podcast in September 2019. As a special feature, Maxwell shares the incredible story of how he uncovered, buried deep in the archives of a Kansas museum, an original prospectus for Disneyland written in 1953, roughly two years before the first park opened. If you’re a Disneyphile or grown-up Mouseketeer, comparing Walt’s vision to today’s Disneyland will fascinate you. So perk up your mouse ears and listen to the leaders of the band for a thrilling ride through ten decades of Disneyana and the business lessons they impart. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Walt Disney, 1946 Posted: October 16, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 47:39 Episode: 12.15

Curt Tueffert describes himself as “America’s Master Sales Motivator.” That he is. But as he demonstrates in this week’s episode, Curt is also gifted with NI — Natural Intelligence. He has spot-on answers to some of the most vexing questions confronting business owners and sales professionals. How can I best qualify customer prospects? What can I do about a prospect who says, “let me think about it?” How can I remain positive in the face of rejection? Curt acquired his expertise working in sales for almost four decades and motivating and training sales teams at companies, including UPS, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Penske Automotive Group, and Liberty Mutual Insurance.  Curt’s company, Peak Sales Strategy, provides in-person and remote sales training and personalized coaching.  As an in-demand speaker, he leaves his audiences with fresh ideas, actionable insights, and supercharged energy. AI, be warned! Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Curt Tueffert, Peak Sales Strategy Posted: October 9, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:37 Episode: 12.14 POPULAR  EPISODES: Management Strategies That For-Profit Businesses Can Glean from a Volunteer Fire Company’s Enduring Success A Proven Formula Anyone Can Use to Obtain Power and Wield Influence Start the Presses: How the Right News Release Can Shine a Spotlight on Your Company  

When Vicky Brown launched her HR consultancy — Idomeneo Enterprises —  in 2001, she knew she was wading into shark-infested waters dominated by giants, including Accenture, ADP, Deloitte, and KPMG. By focusing on emerging and mid-size companies and providing concierge services to her clients, Vicky’s West Hollywood firm has won an impressive roster of clients from coast to coast. Trying to cope with ever-changing state and federal employment regulations, the work-from-home migration, and the impact of artificial intelligence, Vicky says that more and more owners and entrepreneurs are outsourcing their HR and payroll functions. Lean closer to your podcast player as Vicky shares her personal success formula and reveals not only how to foolproof hiring but also the best way to let an employee go when it’s time. [To receive the free bonus gift that Vicky is making available to Monday Morning Radio listeners, click here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link or scan the QR code below. We welcome donations of all sizes. Photo: Vicky Brown, Idomeneo Enterprises Posted: October 2, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 46:41 Episode: 12.13

The universities Gregory Shepard sought to attend wouldn’t admit him. When he volunteered for the U.S. Navy, the recruiters said, “no thanks.” Admittedly, Greg is not your textbook job candidate: He is autistic, dyslexic, and has a sensory condition known as synesthesia, which is commonly described as having the brain’s wires crossed. Greg could have allowed his neurodivergent struggles — and there are plenty of them —  to defeat him. Instead, he’s leveraged his atypical mind to build and sell 12 businesses, co-lead a global investment syndicate in the technology sector, and use his earned wealth as a philanthropist. This week, in a poignant conversation with co-host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, Greg makes a strong case for integrating neurodiverse people — who see the world differently — into the workforce. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link, or scan the QR code below. We welcome donations of all sizes. Photo: Gregory ShepardPosted: September 25, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 50:14 Episode: 12.12 To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link, or scan the QR code above. We welcome donations of all sizes.

To obtain power and influence, you don’t need wealth or privilege. Better yet, anyone can become widely known and respected if they can generate a compelling idea and communicate it effectively. That is the conclusion of Robert L. “Bob” Dilenschneider, an author, historian, and legendary strategic communication advisor who has been studying and dissecting the elements of power and influence for more than four decades. Bob, who is best known as the founder of the acclaimed consultancy, The Dilenschneider Group, is the author of the newly released book The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence: Everything You Need to Know. The seminal book arms its readers with intellectual, technical, and moral weapons — essential tools in the increasingly competitive and ever-evolving business world. “Acquiring both power and influence is crucial to advancing not only your personal interests but also a more prosperous society at large,” Bob writes. This week, Bob shares with Monday Morning Radio hosts Maxwell and Dean Rotbart the surprisingly simple method to get others to listen to and follow you. Other Popular Books From Robert L. Dilenschneider: The Public Relations Handbook (Edited) Decisions: Practical Advice from 23 Men and Women Who Shaped the World 50 Plus!: Critical Career Decisions for the Rest of Your Life Nailing It: How History’s Awesome Twentysomethings Got It Together Photo: Robert L. “Bob” Dilenschneider, The Dilenschneider GroupPosted: September 18, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 37:28Episode: 12.11

Forty years ago, when Lori Poland was only three years old, she was kidnapped from her front yard, molested, and left for dead at the bottom of a remote mountain outhouse. By chance, after three days, a bird watcher answering the call of nature heard the little girl whimpering 12 feet below. “What are you doing there?” he called down. “I live here,” the confused child answered. Today, married with children of her own, Lori is co-founder and chief executive officer of the National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect, or EndCAN. As host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart notes, Lori is also a striking example of how it’s possible to give meaning to life’s misfortunes and build a purpose-driven career. Listen in as Lori shares her unique approach for turning adversity — regardless of the source —  into strength. Last Week’s Episode: Management Strategies That For-Profit Businesses Can Glean from a Volunteer Fire Company’s Enduring Success Photo: Lori Poland, EndCAN Posted: September 11, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:58 Episode: 12.10  

This week’s edition of Monday Morning Radio tells the remarkable story of Genesee Fire Rescue (GFR), a little volunteer engine company that could, and has, for five decades. Located in the majestic foothills of the Rocky Mountains, 20 miles west of downtown Denver, the unincorporated community of Genesee is home to approximately 4,000 residents and 1,500 homes.  Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart spent 18 months chronicling GFR’s half-century evolution, growing from a three-person company of well-intended amateurs into a force of 40 of the most professional, well-equipped volunteer firefighters in Colorado.  Dean’s new book, Dedication And Service: 50 Years on Call with the Volunteers of Colorado’s Genesee Fire Rescue, is available now on Amazon. The book is co-authored by GFR Lieutenant Hank O’Brien. The odds of a small enterprise surviving for 50 years are minute — fewer than one in a hundred. That’s even truer when the organization's employees are volunteers who regularly risk their lives to provide a free service to their local community. “Why do the volunteers do it?” Dean asks. “They get paid nothing for the hundreds of hours that many of them devote each year to training and service. They put life and limb at risk. They witness injuries and tragedies that, once seen, can never be forgotten. They are on perpetual call, often summoned to the station in the dead of night, and in Colorado, at least, asked to perform in blizzards and sub-zero conditions.” To help explain the commitment of Genesee’s volunteer firefighters, Dean and his son, Monday Morning Radio co-host Maxwell Rotbart, invited two active GFR members on this week’s podcast.  Jason Puffett joined GFR in 2010 and became its volunteer chief in 2015. Then, in 2017, the elected board that oversees the fire department asked Puffett to guide GFR as its first paid, full-time leader.  Lt. O’Brien, co-author of Dedication and Service and a certified EMT, is a third-generation firefighter. He joined GFR in 2015 and conducted more than two dozen oral histories with past and current members of the fire department. “Dedication and Service is a poignant celebration of the heroes next door, those ordinary yet extraordinary individuals who show up for their neighbors,” Dean reports. “The half-century legacy of Genesee Fire Rescue is an inspiring testament to the enduring spirit of American volunteerism, a beacon that continues to shine in towns and cities nationwide.” BOOKS BY DEAN and MAXWELL ROTBART Dedication And Service: 50 Years on Call with the Volunteers of Colorado’s Genesee Fire Rescue. By Dean Rotbart and Hank O’Brien — September 2023 The State of Israel: Prime Ministers: With Special Guest Commentary by Gadi the Camel (Second Edition). By Maxwell Rotbart — 2022 September Twelfth: An American Comeback Story — September 2021 A Christmas Day Miracle: The True Story of One Man's Yuletide Triumph Over Death. By Dean and Talya Rotbart — November 2021 Perfectly Ordinary, Yet Extraordinary: Making a Meaningful Difference in the Lives of Others. By Dean and Talya Rotbart — January 2020 Surviving Infidelity: Making Amends, Restoring Trust, Finding Forgiveness, and Living Together Happily for the Rest of Your Lives. By Abe Kass and Dean Rotbart — February 2018 Photos (L-R): Chief Jason Puffett and Lt. Hank O’Brien, Genesee Fire RescuePosted: September 4, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 43:59Episode: 12.09

Ken Paskins, a third-generation entrepreneur, witnessed his father and grandfather struggle to run a successful business. He was determined to find a better way. So Ken went to work for giant companies, including Oracle and BEA Systems, until he could deconstruct the leadership, HR, sales, and finance formulas for success. Today, Ken is the co-founder of The Shift Spot, a CEO coaching and peer advisory community that shows owners and CEOs of companies with 100 or fewer employees how to achieve their goals. Rather than rely on a single guru for sage advice, Paskins tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, his clients learn from experts and peers. Photo: Ken Paskins, The Shift SpotPosted: August 7, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 43:45Episode: 12.08 RECENT EPISODES: What Are You Waiting For? Selling to Uncle Sam Can Be Very Lucrative Why You Should Prepare to Sell Your Business Long Before You’re Ready To Walk Away No Matter the Circumstances, Resilience is a Muscle Anyone Can Develop

If you want your talent and brilliance to be recognized, SPEAK UP! Take it from Bret Ridgway, author of The Spotlight on Speaking Newsletter. Bret is an evangelist for the many benefits that accrue to owners and entrepreneurs who take to the podium. Among the clients he has worked with are Ryan Deiss, Alex Mandossian, Joe Polish, and Wendy Lipton-Dibner. During his 25-plus-year career, Bret has witnessed a couple of thousand speakers. He knows what works and what doesn’t. You needn’t have the oratory skills of Tim Cook, Richard Branson, or Ginni Rometty to be the type of speaker who wins over customers, employees, and shareholders. All it takes, Bret tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart, is a genuine passion for sharing your message with the world and being your authentic self.  Then brace yourself for a standing ovation. Photo: Bret Ridgway, The Spotlight on Speaking Newsletter Posted: July 31, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 41:28 Episode: 12.07

Back by popular demand, Dr. Noah St. John returns to Monday Morning Radio for the third time to share insights from his new book, The 7-Figure Life: How to Leverage the 4 FOCUS FACTORS for Wealth and Happiness. Success has been kind to Dr. St. John, the self-described “nerdiest nerd.” When he started out 25-plus years ago, he was living in a 300-square-foot apartment with no money, no girlfriend, and very little hope. The core idea for how to turn his life around — and that of the more than 1.8 million others he’s helped since — came to him one day in the shower. Today, Dr. St. John is happily married, lives in a 6,000-square-foot mansion on a hill, and is a highly paid consultant, speaker, and author of 20 self-improvement books and counting. His proprietary formula for success is surprisingly simple, Dr. St. John tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart. If it worked for a nerd like him, it can work for anyone. Popular Books By Dr. St. John The 7-Figure Life: How to Leverage the 4 FOCUS FACTORS for Wealth and Happiness Get Rid of Your Head Trash About Money: How to Avoid the 3 Massive Money Mistakes Even Smart People Make Afformations®: The Miracle of Positive Self-Talk Millionaire AFFORMATIONS®: The Magic Formula that Will Make You Rich  Dr. St. John’s Previous Guest Spots on Monday Morning Radio: How to Automate Your Business Success and “Productize” Your Genius Turning AFFORMATIONS™ Into Small Business Success Fuel Photos: Dr. Noah St. JohnPosted: July 24, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 44:45Episode: 12.06

Ricky Howard has awarded or managed more than $1 BILLION in purchase contracts, many with small businesses. In good economies or bad, his client is a reliable buyer, and once your company is selected as a vendor, it’s likely to be a vendor for years, if not decades, to come. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Richard C. “Ricky” Howard, founder of DoD Contract Academy, is an expert on how to win lucrative government contracts, from office supplies and HVAC equipment to sophisticated computer programming and weapons systems.  During his service in the U.S. Air Force, Colonel Howard flew 555 combat hours. He understands the importance of preparation and practice. DOD Contract Academy guides, trains, and mentors small business owners and sales executives on how to pull down multi-million-dollar government contracts. Many businesses that could qualify as government contractors don’t even realize it. Once they do, their profits are on a flight path to soar up, up, and away. Photo: Lt. Colonel Richard C. “Ricky” Howard, DoD Contract AcademyPosted: July 17, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 53:43Episode: 12.05 RECENT EPISODES: Bestselling Author Joanne Lipman Shares Her Formula for Professional and Personal Reinvention What Would Your Business Do Differently Today If You Knew the Future? Cathy Nesbitt is in a Slimy Business, and Her Customers Adore Her

In 1998, Mickie Kennedy started eReleases as a discount press wire service, providing the same media reach as the industry heavies at a fraction of the cost. Twenty-five years later, Mickie’s company is still going strong and saving companies tens of millions of dollars, having helped hundreds of thousands of small businesses reach journalists, investors, trade associations, and customers. Moreover, Mickey has become a news release maestro, able and willing to share the secrets of distributing news releases that get results. In this era of Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and now Threads, do news releases still have a meaningful role in helping companies deliver their messages? Unsurprisingly, Mickie tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart that now more than ever, a well-crafted news release will ricochet through social media and deliver an exponentially larger impact. Get the scoop on this week’s episode. Photo: Mickie Kennedy, eReleasesPosted: July 10, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 53:53Episode: 12.04 RECENT EPISODES: Dr. Michael Lenox Explains Why Keeping Up with AI and Other Technologies is a Matter of Business Survival Would You Walk Over Searing Coals or a Bed of Broken Glass to Overcome Your Limiting Fears? Leveraging Other People’s Money to Transform Business Owners From Successful to Uber-Wealthy  

For many small business owners, finding a buyer for their company is an elusive goal. Mac Lackey has done it six times.  His latest venture, ExitDNA, guides entrepreneurs on how to best position their companies to be acquired, should they ever wish to sell. Monday Morning Radio host Maxwell Rotbart engaged Mac in a wide-ranging discussion about what entrepreneurs need to know at each stage of their operations — from inception to disposition. Among the advice Lackey shares is how to choose a location for your company, the role that passion plays in starting a venture, hiring strong employees, the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make, and what pitfalls to avoid when selling your company. Mac even touches on what entrepreneurs looking to acquire other businesses need to know. How can you achieve the success that Mac has? The answers abound on this week’s podcast. Upper Photo: Mac Lackey, ExitDNALower Photo: Host Maxwell RotbartPosted: July 3, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 49:05Episode: 12.03 RECENT EPISODES: Bestselling Author Joanne Lipman Shares Her Formula for Professional and Personal Reinvention Yale’s David C. Tate Introduces a New, More Inclusive Model — Conscious Accountability “We Want Our Clients to Fire Us,” Says Khierstyn Ross, Founder and CEO of ‘Launch and Scale’  

Dr. Michael Lenox, a consultant, author, and business professor at the University of Virginia, is an expert on artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, and other agents of digital transformation. He knows both the challenges and opportunities posed by today’s rapidly advancing digital technologies. In his new book, Strategy in the Digital Age: Mastering Digital Transformation —  out this week, Dr. Lenox explains that businesses need to be innovative and agile or risk going the way of so many brand-name companies — digital and brick-and-mortar — that could not adjust with the times and no longer exist. As he writes in his book, “Ultimately, your digital transformation is a journey with no end.” Dr. Lenox is interviewed by host Dean Rotbart, a flesh-and-blood journalist. But in the not-too-distant future, as this week’s podcast demonstrates, Dean could very well be replaced by a sophisticated algorithm. (Please, don’t tell Mrs. Rotbart.) Photo: Michael Lenox, University of Virginia's Darden School of BusinessPosted: June 26, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 49:29Episode: 12.02 RECENT EPISODES: ‘Semple’ Strategies to Rev Your Advertising and Marketing Campaigns Cathy Nesbitt is in a Slimy Business, and Her Customers Adore Her Insights From A ‘Walking Encyclopedia’ of Business and Career Success Formulas  

[This edition of Monday Morning Radio begins our 12th year of podcasting in conjunction with the non-profit Wizard Academy and its co-founder, Roy H. Williams. This is our 550th episode.] When it comes to career moves, bestselling author Joanne Lipman has been very successful and resilient.  She was the first woman to become a deputy managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. She was the founding editor-in chief-of Condé Nast’s award-winning Portfolio magazine. She served as editor-in-chief of USA Today and chief content officer of its parent company, Gannett. Currently, Joanne is a regular contributor to CNBC and a lecturer at Yale University. In her latest book, Next!: The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work, Joanne provides countless examples of people who reinvented themselves - some willingly, others who had no choice. As she tells host Dean Rotbart, anyone following the methods she prescribes can make the successful leap from one career to the next and the next after that.  [Joanne discussed her bestselling book, That’s What She Said, on our June 17, 2019, podcast.] Photo: Joanne Lipman, Next!Posted: June 18, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 41:45Episode: 12.01 RECENT EPISODES: What Would Your Business Do Differently Today If You Knew the Future? Hear the Fairytale-Esq Story of Dave Combs’ “Rachel’s Song” – and the Business Savvy That Propels It In Today’s Business World, the Means to Success Often Matter As Much as the Ends

Dave Albin helps business executives and employees face and overcome their fears. But that’s nothing special. Dave’s methods, however, make him unique among corporate coaches. Dave is the #1 firewalk instructor in America, having cajoled more than one-half million people to tiptoe, barefoot, over a bed of coals exceeding 1,000 degrees in temperature.  A disciple of Tony Robbins, Dave ran firewalks for the mega-motivator for almost two decades before striking out on his own to form Firewalk Adventures.  As Dave tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, firewalking is a 1,000-year-old rite of passage. F.E.A.R., in Dave’s way of thinking, either stands for Forget Everything and Run or Face Everything and Rise. In Dave’s experience, those who muster the courage to firewalk return to their careers and personal lives with much more self-confidence. In addition to firewalking, Dave and his crew at Firewalk Adventures also offer confidence-building glass walks, board breaks, arrow breaks, and fire eating. Which you choose depends on your needs and tastes.  Dave says the most challenging part of marching over hot coals or broken glass is the first step. Want to overcome your limiting fears? Your first step is clicking begins by downloading this week’s red hot episode.  Photo: Dave Albin, Firewalk AdventuresPosted: June 12, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 50:03Episode: 11.43 RECENT EPISODES: Planning Your Next Live Business Event in the Post-COVID-19 Era The Secret to Becoming an Extraordinary Leader: “Dux te ipsum duc” Sometimes, Ignorance is the Perfect Preparation for Running a Successful Business

Amy Dockser Marcus, a distinguished author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter with The Wall Street Journal, has dedicated her career to exploring the complex intersections of economics, society, and health within modern medicine.  In her latest meticulously researched book, We The Scientists, she delves into the remarkable accomplishments of "citizen scientists" — ordinary parents and individuals who united to revolutionize the conventional practices employed by established medical researchers and professionals. On its face, says host Dean Rotbart, Amy’s book is an inspiring medical chronicle. But the achievements and lessons learned by motivated amateurs offer far-reaching insights and invaluable lessons applicable to diverse industries and fields.  All crises begin with the blurring of a paradigm and the consequent loosening of the rules for normal research … — Thomas S. Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolutions Photo: Amy Dockser Marcus, We The Scientists: How a Daring Team of Parents and Doctors Forged a New Path for MedicinePosted: June 5, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 45:36 Episode: 11.42  POPULAR RECENT EPISODES: Nick Loper Can Show You How to Earn Some Serious Extra Income Running a Business is Like Coaching a Sports Franchise: Would You Be a Champion? “What the Hell is an Economy” Distills Complex Economics into An Easy-to-Understand Read

For half a century, Bob Johansen has been forecasting the future. Clients, including Procter & Gamble, Walmart, and McKinsey, trust his vision. Moreover, he is an instructor at the Army War College. Along with coauthors Joseph Press and Christine Bullen, Bob has recently released “Office Shock: Creating Better Futures for Working and Living” — his 13th book. Ostensibly, Office Shock peers a decade ahead to describe the workplace of the future — the officeverse. Today’s office towers face strong headwinds, as the purpose and function of tomorrow’s office spaces will be rejiggered to prove a more equitable, accessible, purposeful, climate-positive future for knowledge work.  But host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart says Office Shock is about much more than real estate. It’s about looking to the future now to take immediate steps to better prepare for what’s to come.   “It's actually easier to think ten years ahead than it is one or two years ahead,” Bob says, discussing the effectiveness of taking a “futureback” approach to planning. Bob and his coauthors are associated with the Palo Alto, California-based Institute for the Future, a spinoff from RAND Corporation founded in 1968. IFTF is the world's oldest continuously running futures research and educational organization.   OTHER BOOKS BY BOB JOHANSEN: The New Leadership Literacies: Thriving in a Future of Extreme Disruption and Distributed Everything Get There Early: Sensing the Future to Compete in the Present Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World Photo: Bob Johansen, Institute for the FuturePosted: May 29, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 47:59Episode: 11.41  POPULAR RECENT EPISODES: No Matter the Circumstances, Resilience is a Muscle Anyone Can Develop The Secret to Becoming an Extraordinary Leader: “Dux te ipsum duc” Stop Waiting For Someone to Anoint You a Leader, and Just Be One

Nick Loper is a fountain of money-making ideas and the required methods to implement them. As the founder of Side Hustle Nation and its Chief Side Hustler, Nick has shown tens of thousands of his followers how to bring in  $1,000, $2,000, or even $5,000 a month in extra income. On his podcast, on his website, in books, and speeches, Nick breaks down the vast opportunities to supplement your income in your spare time — as well as how to turn a side hustle into a full-time gig providing greater income and far more satisfaction than most people experience holding down a full-time job. Whether or not any of Nick’s ideas are a perfect fit for you, host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart says they will inspire you to think of other side hustles that will work for you.  BOOKS BY NICK LOPER:  The Side Hustle: How to Turn Your Spare Time into $1000 a Month or More $1,000 100 Ways: How Real People Make Real Money on the Side (and How You Can Too) [DEBUTING THIS WEEK: The Zero to Unicorn podcast, a behind the scenes look at how entrepreneur Mike Kaeding and his parents nurtured their innovative real estate business from nothing to its current trajectory on target to reach the unicorn status of a $1 billion valuation. To hear Mike’s February 2023 appearance on Monday Morning Radio, click here.] Photo: Nick Loper, Side Hustle Nation Posted: May 22, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 46:30 Episode: 11.40 RECENT EPISODES: Hear the Fairytale-Esq Story of Dave Combs’ “Rachel’s Song” – and the Business Savvy That Propels It In Today’s Business World, the Means to Success Often Matter As Much as the Ends Meet America’s Only Chief Results Officer

Dr. Henry Mintzberg is one of the world’s most highly regarded business theorists, having written more books -- 22-- than the Beatles produced #1 hits. He is an organization and management rock star. In his latest book, Understanding Organizations … Finally, Dr. Mintzberg likens running a company or non-profit to coaching a professional sports team: You wouldn’t use the same tactics in football as you use in hockey or baseball. Yet many CEOs mistakenly take a one-size-fits-all approach to structuring their operations. After observing and advising organizations for more than five decades, Dr. Mintzberg concludes there are seven “species” of companies and philanthropic groups, each requiring a distinctive playbook. As Dr. Mintzberg explains to host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, correctly identifying which type of company you own or work for is crucial to its sustainability and profitability.  [To listen to Dr. Mintzberg’s January 2019 appearance on Monday Morning Radio, click here.]  Photo: Dr. Henry Mintzberg, Understanding Organizations … FinallyPosted: May 15, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 48:46Episode: 11.39 RECENT EPISODES: Planning Your Next Live Business Event in the Post-COVID-19 Era The Secret to Becoming an Extraordinary Leader: “Dux te ipsum duc” Sometimes, Ignorance is the Perfect Preparation for Running a Successful Business

When Victoria Pelletier sets her mind to achieving a goal, she won’t let anything or anyone stop her. Nor will she blame anyone but herself when things don’t go the way she planned. Those two personality traits — being unstoppable and making no excuses — have been a recipe for success since she became the chief operating officer of a multinational corporation at age 24. Decades on, after holding senior roles at American Express, IBM, and Accenture, she now advises owners, CEOs, and board members on how to adopt her approach to business and life. Victoria tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart that anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background or the adversity they may have faced, can achieve professional growth and inspire others to do the same.  Photo: Victoria Pelletier, AccenturePosted: May 8, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 39:02Episode: 11.38 LAST WEEK: This is the 1986 Song Whose Popularity Never Ends: Hear the Fairytale-Esq Story of Dave Combs’ “Rachel’s Song” — and the Business Savvy that Propels It

Dave Combs is a disarmingly charming southerner, a former telecommunications executive, and a man of faith. He’s also a hardcore entrepreneur and one of the most successful musicians and music distributors you’ve probably never heard of. Since Dave and his friend, studio pianist Gary Prim, recorded their first instrumental tune  in 1986 — Rachel’s Song — the duo has produced 15 successful instrumental albums which have attracted millions of worldwide fans. Dave displays more than 50,000 fan letters at his home in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The story behind Dave’s serendipitous success is fairytale-esq.  Not a single mainstream music publisher or distributor would touch Rachel’s Song. So Dave turned to a non-conventional route, selling his CDs through gift shops - eventually building a network of more than 1,000 stores. The song proved to be magnetic. Shoppers would hear it playing overhead in a store and just need to buy it. One local shop alone sold thousands of Dave Combs albums. Host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart points out that fueling Dave’s serendipity were some savvy business insights — the kind that can help make anyone’s bottom line sing. Download and savor your own copy of Rachel’s Song for free from CombsMusic.com. PIck up a copy of Dave Combs’ inspirational autobiography: Touched by the Music: How the Story and Music of “Rachel’s Song” Can Change Your Life. The producer for this week’s episode is Blane Nicholas, who has worked the audio mastery behind the scenes for Monday Morning Radio for more than a decade. Blane is no stranger to working with dynamic music artists. A veteran of iHeartMedia and Apple Music, Blane has produced programs featuring Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morissette, Kanye West, Jon Bon Jovi, Keith Richards, Sean Lennon, Metallica, Joan Jett, LL Cool J, and dozens of other music icons. Photo: Dave Combs, Combs MusicPosted: May 1, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: One Hour and Eleven Minutes Episode: 11.37

Since 2006, serial entrepreneur Clay Stafford has produced an ever-more-popular Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference that brings together authors, agents, exhibitors, and fans of crime and thriller literature. Pulling off a large meeting, workshop, or other live event entails countless steps. In Clay’s instance, planning for the next gathering begins a year in advance. This week, Clay pays a return visit to Monday Morning Radio to share his post-COVID-19 event blueprints with host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, covering everything from the selection of a venue and keynote speakers to his formula for ensuring that attendees leave feeling that their time and money were well invested. “Given his many talents and occupations, any conversation with Clay would not be complete if we didn’t stray from the central topic,” Dean says. “So this week, he and I will also discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on authors and publishers; the state of the publishing market; the 12 habits of successful writers; and the one subject Nobel laureate William Faulkner — author of “The Sound and the Fury” — didn’t want to talk about. The 18th Annual Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference will be held August 17-20, 2023. For registration information, click here. Photo: Clay Stafford, Killer NashvillePosted: April 24, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 46:38Episode: 11.36 [Listen again to Clay Stafford’s first Monday Morning Radio interview here.]

The days of the imperial CEO are bygone. Today’s business and organization leaders empower everyone, regardless of rank, to be heard and contribute to success.  That’s the premise of David C. Tate, a licensed clinical psychologist and lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. David is the co-author of Conscious Accountability: Deepen Connections, Elevate Results. Financial performance still matters. But David teaches that in the modern workplace, the means to success often matter as much as the ends. David and his co-authors, Marianne S. Pantalon and Daryn H. David, embrace a leadership approach they dub “conscious accountability,” and offer a seven-step process — CONNECT — centered on the benefits of social awareness, values, and relationships. C — Creating Clarity O — Opening Up Engagement N — Nailing It N — Noticing E — Exchanging Feedback C — Claiming It T — Trying Again Listen and profit now as David explains to host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart how following the CONNECT roadmap leads to greater job satisfaction, elevated relationships, and better business outcomes.  Photo: David C. Tate, Conscious Accountality Posted: April 17, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 48:18 Episode: 11.35

For the head of a successful business coaching firm, Toronto-based Launch and Scale, Khierstyn Ross, founder and CEO, has an odd goal. “We actually want our clients to fire us,” the e-commerce strategist tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart. Khierstyn is crazy — crazy like a fox. Her firm’s mission is to help launch and scale online brands until they achieve $3 million in annual sales. She’s done that successfully for dozens of brands. However, by the time her clients’ sales grow to $10 million in yearly revenues, Khierstyn says her nestlings need to move on. That is, fire her before she fires them. Whether you’re a startup or long-established, Khierstyn’s growth methodology and operational discipline are sure to impress you. Photo: Khierstyn Ross, Launch and ScalePosted: April 10, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 37:12Episode: 11.34

Dux te ipsum duc is Latin for “Leader, Lead Thyself.” The concept is at the heart of business growth coach Bradley Hamner’s formula for transforming owners and executives from “slaves” to their companies into masterful architects of growth and success. Bradley is the founder of Business Growth Curator, a consultancy that coaches owners and executives on how to grow their confidence and leadership, develop an effective team, scale their companies, and make a difference. Since launching his first business in 2009, with no customers, no leads, and very little cash, Bradley has established or built seven companies, with an eighth on the launchpad. The secret to inspiring employees to improve their performance and satisfaction, Bradley tells host Dean Rotbart, is to address your own shortcomings first. He did just that and has been generating exceptional value for himself and his clients ever since. [Note: You can listen to Bradley’s podcast, The Club Capital Leadership Podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.] Photo: Bradley Hamner, Business Growth Curator Posted: April 3, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 49:45 Episode: 11.33

When Jennifer Brown sizes up business and organization leaders on how well they address today’s ever-increasing demand for inclusive workplaces, she describes them on a continuum of four stages: unaware, aware, active, and advocate. Jennifer is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a strategic and diversity advisory firm. She has spent more than two decades helping CEOs and other executives look inward so that they can be more effective in creating a safe and productive work environment for every employee. Among those companies that have sought Jennifer’s insights are Google, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, CapitalOne, IBM, Disney, and Coca-Cola. You needn’t be a FORTUNE 500 CEO to benefit from her insights. All you need to do is join Jennifer and host Dean Rotbart for an insightful, actionable discussion of the steps you can take to become a more inclusive leader. [Be sure to pick up a copy of Jennifer’s book, How to Be an Inclusive Leader, Second Edition: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive.] Photo: Jennifer Brown, Jennifer Brown ConsultingPosted: March 27, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 58:25Episode: 11.32

In the Fall of 2007, Eric Johnson, an entrepreneur and designer of satellite communications systems, was on vacation when he received a panicked call from his financial advisor. “Need permission to sell.” “Sell what?” “Everything.” Eric did sell, and his swift move saved him from getting walloped by the Great Recession and the ensuing turmoil in the markets. Eric is a renaissance man: an instrument-rated private pilot, surfer, black belt, astrophotographer, angel investor, and co-founder and former CEO of Tourmaline Networks, a software engineering firm.  After weathering the Great Recession, Eric determined he never again wanted to feel financially vulnerable. So, in addition to his other personal and professional pursuits, Eric set off on a 15-year odyssey to teach himself everything investors, owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to protect their wealth needs to know about finance and economics. In his book, What the Hell is an Economy, Eric has distilled all that he’s learned into an easy-to-understand read that spells out what an economy is and how it works. If you're wondering what recent bank failures, inflation, debt ceiling, currency fluctuations, and trade deficits mean for your business — where are the risks and where are the opportunities — Eric shares the answers with host and award-winning financial journalist Dean Rotbart exclusively on Monday Morning Radio. Photo: Eric Johnson, What the Hell is an EconomyPosted: March 20, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 39:55 Episode: 11.31

Gene Sticco embraces three of the core tenets that Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart advocates for anyone who wants to break from the pack: Be audacious. Act on your dreams and passions. Let the naysayers laugh, and then do it anyway. Sticco is an entrepreneur and U.S. Air Force special forces veteran. He is also a newly announced candidate for the Oval Office in 2024. Rotbart describes Gene as a serious candidate with no serious chance of winning. That said, for the example Gene sets for business owners, entrepreneurs, and creatives, among others, he is already a victor.  Plato once observed: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Sticco is taking the Greek philosopher’s words to heart, and they apply equally to those in every industry and profession where individuals settle for following rather than leading. Although Gene knew nothing about running an Opera company, he has funneled his experience and passion into serving as General Director of the Mystic Side Opera, a newly formed company that showcases some impressive local talents, including Gene’s wife, Natalya, who is a mezzo-soprano. Whether it's opera, the Air Force, or a run for the White House, Gene Sticco is a bold and decisive role model. You can vote for Gene with your ears right now, exclusively on Monday Morning Radio. [You’ll find Gene’s campaign website at ForThePromiseofAmerica.com] Photo: Gene Sticco, Committee to Elect Gene Sticco Posted: March 13, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 54:40 Episode: 11.30

Matt Mason, who since 2019 has served as the official state poet of Nebraska, returns to Monday Morning Radio to discuss his latest collection of poems — At The Corner of Fantasy and Main: Disneyland, Midlife and Churros — and to share his ideas for making poetry and profits rhyme. Matt, a Wizard Academy alumnus, was last a guest on this podcast in March 2019, shortly after publishing his previous poetry collection, The Baby That Ate Cincinnati. On this visit, he continues to explain the relationship between poetry and creativity in business and entrepreneurship. Matt hopes that the introspections he shares in At the Corner of Fantasy and Main and The Baby That Ate Cincinnati will touch readers and help fuel his ambition to earn a living by writing, performing, and teaching poetry to a corporate audience. Turning a passion into a profitable business is never easy. This week, Matt shares his game plan for overcoming the obstacles he is certain to encounter — strategies that can help anyone who wants to be gainfully employed doing what they love. Photo: Matt Mason, At the Corner of Fantasy and MainPosted: March 6, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 47:19Episode: 11.29  

The secret to Michael Kaeding’s success as the CEO of Norhart Inc., a company that designs, builds, and rents apartments, is that he had no idea how to run his family business when his father unexpectedly passed away. “I had no preconceived notion of the way things were supposed to be done,” Mike recalls. “We just started to naively solve problems, and that was the magic.” Norhart, headquartered in tiny Forest Lake, Minnesota, is booming. Because Mike has refined a process to save 50% or more over other residential developers, he tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart that he plans to expand his business nationwide and take a stab at solving America’s housing shortage and affordability crisis.  Photo: Michael Kaeding, CEO, Norhart Inc.Posted: February 27, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 46:02Episode: 11.28

Four sneaky obstacles prevent most business owners and entrepreneurs from becoming peerless communicators, whether in writing, on video, or in front of a live audience. There is a proven formula to vault over those hurdles, and this week’s guest, Michelle D. Gladieux, reveals how to become the best communicator you can be. Michelle, president of Gladieux Consulting, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has taught at the college level for 18 years, starting when she was only 23. Gladieux Consulting, which serves hundreds of companies and thousands of training participants, focuses on leadership and communication topics, strategic planning facilitation, and building creative tools that yield personal and professional development.   Michelle’s new book, Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome Four HIdden Challenges, provides a step-by-step guide to triumphing over fear to deliver your message more effectively and make a difference in the world. But host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart tells Michelle that she underestimated the import of her book. As Dean observes, Communicate with Courage is really a guidebook on how to live with courage. “And who couldn’t use an extra dose of self-confidence?” Dean asks. Photo: Michelle D. Gladieux, Gladieux ConsultingPosted: February 20, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 51:04Episode: 11.27

Although officially, the business spotlighted on this week’s podcast is less than a week old, host Dean Rotbart says that given its lineage and the marketing genius supporting it, RomanticSpotsinAustin.com is a sure bet to be an entrepreneurial role model and a global success story. Two years in development, the online guidebook to amorous Austin, Texas, is the brainchild of Pennie Williams, brought from the drawing board to last week’s rollout with an assist by her son Jake and her husband, none other than Roy H. Williams. Pennie has been nurturing love and romance for decades. She is responsible for launching Chapel Dulcinea — the world’s first free wedding chapel — in 2005. Situated cliffside on the edge of an ancient walking trail overlooking the Texas Hill Country, the chapel hosts 1,100 ceremonies annually. RomanticSpotsinAustin offers searchable, unbiased descriptions of a cornucopia of places and activities — from famous landmarks to little-known hideaways, sweeping natural landscapes to rooftop lounges, crazy art and adventures to violins and candlelight. Listings on RomanticSpotsinAustin.com are free and selected for inclusion solely by the editorial team behind the digital guidebook. “Visitors to RomanticSpotsinAustin.com need only be guided by their mood of the moment, whether that means hiking the cliffs at sunset, sharing cocktails at a dark corner table, or touring any of Austin’s outstanding museums,” says Jake Williams, who serves as chief executive of the new venture. “The only essential ingredient, of course, is that you have the one you love by your side.” Listen closely, as this week Roy not only explains the strategy behind RomanticSpotsinAustin, but he also shares some of the proven marketing techniques that have made him the most successful and admired ad writer in history. Photo: Jake Williams, CEO, Romantic Spots LLC Posted: February 13, 2023 Monday Morning Run Time: 43:05 Episode: 11.26

Among the giants of self-improvement authors and speakers are Dale Carnegie, Earl Nightingale, Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Blaine Oelkers. Blaine who? Blaine Oelkers, http://selfluence.com, is not yet as well known as these other inspiring speakers and authors — but he is a modern keeper of their inspirational flame. In fact, Blaine is America’s only Chief Results Officer — an expert on how to get yourself to do those things you know you should do but aren’t. In this week’s episode, Blaine will reveal his method of getting an hour’s worth of work done in only 30 minutes. He’ll show us how to create a durable new habit in only 21 seconds. And he’ll explain his WYTAYBA™ secret to unlocking the full power of your mind. As host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart says, “While Blaine may channel Carnegie, Nightingale, and the others, he is an original — offering unique solutions for our 21st century professional and personal challenges.” Photo: Blaine Oelkers, Selfluence.comPosted: February 6, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 51:47

When a quality publishing house releases only one book a year, you know it will be a blockbuster. That’s always been the case with award-winning Bard Press, which has brought out 18 business bestsellers over the past 25 years. This year the business boutique imprint has tapped authors Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride. Their book, When Everyone Leads: The Toughest Challenges Get Seen and Solved, offers a revolutionary model that allows everyone to claim the mantle of “leader,” no matter how high up or low down they are on the organizational chart. In When Everyone Leads, the authors lay out their five core tenets of leadership. Leadership is an activity, not a position Anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere Leadership starts with you and must engage others Leadership is risky Leadership is about your toughest challenges Ed and Julia know the genuine mechanisms of leadership. The two authors honed their insights into leadership at the Kansas Leadership Center, which they launched in 2007. Ed’s background was in government and politics. Julia was an actor turned leadership coach. Working from the premise that the quality and quantity of leadership is the key determinant to prosperity, health, and success for organizations and communities, under their guidance the Kansas Leadership Center has empowered more than 15,000 individuals to set aside outdated concepts of leadership and anoint themselves pathfinders. As Ed and Julia explain to host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere. Is it your turn to step up? _____ Bard Press — founded by the incomparable Ray Bard and now piloted by veteran author, literary agent, editor, and blogger Todd Sattersten — picks winners. Among its most-recognized titles: The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading by Bobby Herrera  The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness by Jeffrey Gitomer The Wizard of Ads: Turning Words into Magic and Dreamers into Millionaires by Roy Williams When Everyone Leads will soon take its place among the pantheon of Bard Press success stories. Photos: Julia Fabris McBride and Ed O’Malley, When Everyone LeadsPosted: January 30, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 50:49

Jack and Patti Phillips, a husband and wife Ph.D. duo, lead the ROI Institute, which provides a scalable and systematic approach to program evaluation. Their proprietary ROI Methodology is the most used and implemented such system in the world, adopted by 27 governments and three-fourths of the FORTUNE 500. The Phillipses have a combined five decades of experience evaluating the wisdom of investing in so-called “soft skills,” including employee training, human resources, community outreach, and DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Companies large and small pour hefty sums into these and similar programs, but do they get their money’s worth? The Phillipses know the answer and in their latest book, Show the Value of What You Do, they make ROI Methodology accessible and easy to implement for every business owner and executive, whether assessing an existing program or planning new projects. As host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart says, “At last when directors or supervisors demand, ‘Prove to me the value’ of your projects, you can do exactly that, thanks to Jack and Patti.” Photos: Jack and Patti Phillips, ROI Institute Posted: January 23, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 47:57

Can you teach yourself and your colleagues to generate great ideas — ideas genuinely worth pursuing? Robin Landa, an author and professor of design at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, has made a career studying where breakthrough ideas come from — so-called ideation —  and how anyone can conjure concepts that will be revolutionary. Robin’s latest book is The New Art of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential. In it, she identifies the required foundation of every good idea: Goal, Gap, and Gain - or what she terms the 3Gs. Robin doesn’t promise that if you read her book, you or your employees will become the next Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, or Steve Jobs. But she doesn’t rule it out either. Play along as host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart quizzes Robin — a Jeopardy enthusiast — on her mastery of various categories of creativity. And be sure your response is in the form of a question. Photo: Robin Landa, The New Art of IdeasPosted: January 16, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 41:42

Stephen Semple is a marketing and advertising wizard. Moreover, he is an iconoclast - creating winning campaigns for his grateful clients and his own agency by marching to a different drummer. Officially, Stephen is the Director of Wizard of Ads Canada and one of the elite Wizard of Ads partners who work in collaboration with other creative geniuses around the globe. He is also the co-host of The Empire Builders Podcast, where each week, he and his co-host reverse engineer the playbook of some of today’s most admired and successful companies, traveling back in time to their early years to study their growth formula. Host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart speaks with Stephen on this week’s Monday Morning Radio, covering a wide range of topics and dispensing invaluable business wisdom nuggets. Among the topics, Stephen explains why cutting-edge online titans - including Google, Amazon, eBay, and Airbnb — are shifting their promotional dollars to traditional media, including TV, radio, direct mail, and billboards. Stephen studies, dissects, and decodes the success secrets of business empires. This week, listeners get to see his decoder ring in operation. Photo: Stephen Semple, Wizard of Ads CanadaPosted: January 9, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 1 hour and 56 seconds LAST WEEK: Cathy Nesbitt is in a Slimy Business, and Her Customers Adore Her: How the One-Time Executive Secretary Wormed Her Way to Entrepreneurial Success  

These were the ten most-listened to episodes of Monday Morning Radio in 2022. Hear for yourself why business owners and entrepreneurs around the world found them fascinating. #1: Want a Standing Ovation for Your Company’s Financial Performance? Veteran Acting Coach Craig Archibald Raises the Curtain on the Correct Entrepreneur’s Mindset #2: Set Off Emotional “Fireworks:” Writing Heartfelt Letters That Recipients Will Cherish: Lynette M. Smith on How to Show Genuine Gratitude to Colleagues, Family, and Friends #3: Lift the Hood of Rapidly Growing DermatologistOnCall, and You’ll Discover An Engine Powered By Best-in-Class Technology: Investment Banker and CEO Douglas Holmes’s Insights Are Just What the Doctor Ordered #4: This Couple, Both in Their 60s, Pedaled Coast-to-Coast on a Tandem Bike: Life and Career Lessons From an Inspirational 3,819-Mile Ride Across America #5: Look Before You Leap into the Entrepreneurial Life: Bestselling Author Gino Wickman Asks, “Do You Have What It Takes?” to Succeed #6: Why Make Being an Effective Leader So Complex When – DUH! — All It Takes is Common Sense? Authors Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley Offer 52 Ways to Bolster Employee Satisfaction and Productivity #7: The Future of Business Journalism: A Special Edition of Monday Morning Radio #8: Alfred Sloan, George Eastman, Julius Rosenwald, Olive Beech and Madame C.J. Walker: They May Be Gone, But Their Legacies — and Those of Dozens of Other Dead CEOs — Can Inform Today’s Business Leaders #9: Shift Happens: We Can’t Control Our Personal or Business Misfortunes: But Author and Life Coach Ann Papayoti Knows How to Help Us Control Our Responses #10: A Business Primer: See the Weiner Dog Run. Run. Run. Peter Nevland on What Your Marketing Campaigns Can Learn From Dachshund Races

If you have scoleciphobia — fear of worms, you may want to skip this week’s edition of Monday Morning Radio.  Host Dean Rotbart’s guest, Cathy Nesbitt, is a passionate worm advocate and Canadian worm royalty. Since 2002, Cathy, owner of Cathy’s Crawly Composters, has bred and sold red wigglers and European nightcrawlers by the pound to enthusiastic customers who use the live squigglers for composting — converting household garbage into nutrient-rich fertilizer. Many would-be entrepreneurs are unwilling to get their hands dirty in the pursuit of profit. The story of Cathy’s success is sure to make the clean freaks out there squirm. Photo: Cathy Nesbitt, Cathy’s Crawly Composters Posted: January 2, 2023Monday Morning Run Time: 51:59