In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Founder and CEO of Pencerita, David Tamm. David Tamm, former Air Force captain and successful business owner, shares a bit of his journey, including the people who had a big impact on his life and led him to where he is today.David shared that after 9.5 years in the military, he decided to start a digital marketing agency after discovering some of the common difficulties that business owners often face today. The company's goal is to help companies increase their discoverability and exposure using AI-enhanced tools and software, as well as find like-minded people within their sector that could better help them achieve their goals.Additionally, David also shared the inspiration and theory behind his start-up, Pencerita, which caters to a wide range of audiences looking to tell their life story and create content in their own terms. He believes there is a sense of need for some people today to share their stories with people, with their loved ones, and to share them even after they are gone. Key Points from the Episode:The Inspiration and Theory Behind PenceritaTips and Strategies for Content MarketingWhat Does it Mean to have Ai-Enhanced SEO?How Pencerita Works About David Tamm: David Tamm is an accomplished leader with 19 years managing projects and programs in the disciplines of technology, operations and sales. He has extensive experience in technology startups and building systems for scalability and sustainability. He has also successfully launched five businesses in various industries. Proven performer in leadership roles in government and industry sectors. United States Air Force veteran with combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. About Pencerita: Pencerita's goal is to give people a new way to tell their story. It was designed to be an easy-to-use intentional memory-recording platform, allowing people to record their past in the fastest and most efficient - yet personally creative - way possible, so that people can start living the present moment again and enjoy the gift that is today. It is designed to be a revolutionary platform for preserving legacy, sharing content based on privacy and security, doing good in the world, and building a global community. Tweetable Moments:06:36 - "I don't think a lot of entrepreneurs really understand the scope of potentially is the true breadth of a go-to market strategy."07:42 - "We're heading into the video space right now, and for us it's a lot of influencers." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Pencerita’s website at www.pencerita.comCheck out Pencerita on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/pencerita/Check out David Tamm on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tamm/Check out Pencerita on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pencerita_live.share.grow/Check out Pencerita on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pencerita.live.share.growDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the President and CEO of eCircle Academy, Nicky Billou. Nicky shared a brief insight into his background and his father's influence on the way business should be conducted. Unlike the traditional method of marketing where it can easily seem too commercial, he believes doing business should focus on service and helping people succeed. This is the goal of eCircle Academy.An expert in his field, Nicky further recommends that before going into business, you should think things through to understand in depth why you are doing it in the first place. He believes that business isn't just about making money, it's also about doing something amazing. According to him, there are 4 main characteristics for the success of a business that every business owner should have and develop. These characteristics shaped him to become the businessman he is today. Key Points from the Episode:What Makes eCircle Academy So Different?Tips to Protect Yourself from Bad Business Advice4 Characteristics to Have and Develop to Succeed About Nicky Billou: Nicky Billou is the #1 International Best Selling Author of the book Finish Line ThinkingTM: How to Think and Win Like a Champion, and The Thought Leader’s Journey: A Fable of Life.He is an in-demand and highly inspirational speaker to corporate audiences such as RBC, Lululemon, Royal LePage, and TorStar Media. He is an advisor and confidante to some of the most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs in Canada.He is the co-founder of eCircle Academy (www.eCircleAcademy.com) where he runs a yearlong Mastermind & Educational program working with Coaches, Consultants, Corporate Trainers, Clinic Owners, Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and other service-based Entrepreneurs, positioning them as authorities in their niche.He is the creator of the Thought Leader/Heart LeaderTM Designation. About eCircle Academy: The eCircle Success system has an approach that helps individuals and businesses be recognized as an authority and stand out from the sea of ​​similarity. Over the years, they've helped dozens of coaches and consultants add $250,000 to $2 million a year to their business by establishing themselves as a recognized authority in their field. With their system, you can get customers to start looking for you, your marketing and sales efforts become much more effective, and your customers turn into a sales force with a winning message. Tweetable Moments:“6:31 First of all, I would recommend when you’re getting started in business that you do some self-reflection. Why are you in business? What is your “Why”? You can’t just roll around naked with a bunch of money. You’re doing business because you’ve got a bigger purpose.”“10:20 What matters is how badly you want to change. If you want change, you’ll get resourceful, you’ll come up with money.” Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the eCircle Academy website at https://ecircleacademy.com/Check out eCircle Academy on LinkedIn at...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder of Myers Development Group LLC, Jerome Myers. Myers Development Group, LLC works with people in financial services to build their leadership skills. Jerome talks about scaling businesses by having people that know the mission and take actions that align with the business vision without the leader's direction. He also digs into the lack of customer experience in financial services. Jerome shared that people are more interested in the experience. They want to know that any actions are done in their best interests. He also works with people who struggle with imposter syndrome and those who can't find their real purpose. Jerome and his team guide these individuals to get them to a place where they candidly speak about the wealth they acquired and how they're making a difference in the world through it. Key points from this episode:How did you start coaching the financial coaches?Addressing the gap in the development of people in financial servicesWhy working with leaders makes the business growHow do leadership skills drive more sales compared to hard sales skills?The most significant opportunity for financial services in the industryEngagement process with financial professionalsThe business today for Myers Myers Development Group About Jerome Myers: Jerome Myers (a/k/a "J") is a developer of people and places. He is the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of two ventures. DreamCatchers is a boutique coaching firm that supports first and second generation wealth creators to self actualize and attain transcendence, and The Myers Development Group, where we help ordinary people invest in multifamily real estate in a way that creates generational wealth. Through these entities he gets to live out his childhood dreams of helping people manifest the things they imagine and he is the evidence that dreams should be real. Since leaving corporate America after building a 20MM division, J has become one of the most sought after thought leaders in the multifamily development space. His company, The Myers Development Group, built a multi-million-dollar portfolio following the principles of Myers Methods. This success has led to him being featured on top podcasts such as Best Real Estate Investing Advice Ever with Joe Fairless, Apartment Investing with Michael Blank, Multifamily Investor Nation with Dan Hanford, Target Market Insights with John Casmon, and many more. Although he's often told that he makes investing look easy, the people closest to him know the road wasn't without challenges. So, he created Myers Methods, a real estate education company, to dispel many of the myths related to the industry and educate investors on his 4-step process to owning and operating apartments. About Myers Development Group LLC: The Myers Development Group, LLC is a service conglomerate that serves various clients in various industries. Their primary competencies include corporate strategy, construction, engineering consulting, and organizational development. As asset managers for residential and commercial projects in Virginia and North Carolina, they put these skills to use. Their team is proud to be Efficient, Effective, and Economical. Tweetable Moments:01:09 - "If you're going to build a sustainable business, one that they can exit at the end of their career or something like that, they're gonna have to build a team."02:39 - "The only way to truly scale is to have people who know the mission and can do actions...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Tim Kachuriak, Founder and CEO of NextAfter.Tim Kachuriak is a director of innovation and optimization for NextAfter whose goal is to help charities and non-profit organizations grow through their fundraising efforts by digital means. With his team, they use different methods of data collection and analysis to examine patterns that lead to opportunities and to unlock radar digital fundraising performance. He believes that going digital is the future of fundraising and that research is needed for some organizations to realize this sooner.Tim understands the challenges faced by these organizations and the donors themselves. They participated in giving campaigns to become donors themselves to capture the perspective of a donor. In doing so, they were able to discover and fill in the gaps which led them to create more templates, guides and tools, develop 9 different certification courses, organize events with many digital fundraisers and work directly with large nonprofit organizations to optimize their giving performance.Key Points from the Episode:The Importance of Building Relationships with Your DonorThe Challenges Currently Faced with Digital FundraisingThe Problem of the Email Approach to FundraisingThe Future of FundraisingAbout Tim Kachuriak: A nonprofit thought leader, Tim Kachuriak is the author of the book Optimize Your Fundraising, lead researcher and co-author of the Online Fundraising Scorecard, Why Should I Give to You? (The Nonprofit Value Proposition Index Study), and The Midlevel Donor Crisis. Kachuriak has trained organizations in fundraising optimization around the world and is a frequent speaker at international nonprofit conferences. Kachuriak is also the co-founder and board member for the Human Coalition, a member of the board of directors for Open Doors USA, an Advisory Board Member for the SMU Digital Accelerator, Advisory Board Member for Kids Prosper Kids, and an Advisory Board Member for the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact.Kachuriak lives in Prosper, TX with his wife Rebecca, and their four children: Max (13), Charlie (11), Gracie (10), and Joey (4).About NextAfter: NextAfter combines the perpetual learning of a fundraising research lab, the practical application of a digital-first agency, and the rigorous instruction of a training institute. Their mission is to decode what works in digital fundraising and then equip nonprofits with that knowledge to fulfill their vision to unleash the most generous generation in the history of the world. They adhere to 8 core values: Focus relentlessly on client success, and everything else will fall into place, Always be testing, Employ MacGyver-like resourcefulness, Be courageous, Empower clients, don’t enslave them, Never compromise our convictions in order to meet financial obligations, Be above reproach, and Err on the side of generosity.Tweetable Moments:01:24 - "What we're looking for in the data is patterns that lead to opportunities to unlock greater digital fundraising performance."08:01 - "People give to people. And the more that we can...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Midori Verity, Founder and CEO of Fuel to Fire.Gina founded Fuel to Fire in the midst of the pandemic. Having been in the business for 25 long years, she never thought an act of nature like this would happen. Although faced with challenges, she remained resilient, flexible and constantly seeking opportunities to continue the business. She realized that at that time many business owners were panicking and just looking for a place to go for help.Fuel to Fire's goal is to build accountability around a community of experienced leaders and entrepreneurs who seek support and guidance. It's a community where these types of people can freely share their thoughts and feelings, receive support, and be guided for next steps of action.Key Points from the Episode:What is Fuel to FireThe Role of Accountability How to Build AccountabilityTips to Exercise Better AccountabilityBuilding a Habit to Achieve Your GoalsAbout Midori Verity: When entrepreneurs want to hit results every time without mental exhaustion or physical burnout, they work with Midori. As a serial entrepreneur with three decades of vetted experience herself, she knows what it takes to start, grow, and rapidly scale a business with ease.Plus, as a mom, she knows the added responsibilities that go into being both a successful business owner and a parent.​Whether she’s consulting with startups to Fortune 500 Silicon Valley giants, Midori’s unique approach has without fail unlocked the full potential in every entrepreneur she coaches.​Midori is also a well-recognized TV show host and highly-sought-after public speaker.About Fuel to Fire: Fuel to Fire is an invite-only accountability group for seasoned entrepreneurs and leaders with big goals who meet weekly for 60-minute accountability sessions. It is for experienced entrepreneurs and leaders in their field, who are enthusiastic about learning, sharing and uplifting others.Tweetable Moments:7:30 - "The culture of Fuel to Fire is that what happens in your group stays in your group, but you’re all there to help one another. The more that you give, the more that you get.”8:13 - "If you know that you have this accountability every single week, you’re going to find solutions to help you solve that problem.”Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Fuel to Fire website at https://www.fueltofire.co/Check out Fuel to Fire on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/fuel-to-fire/Check out Midori Verity on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/midoriverity/Check out Midori Verity on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/midoriverityCheck out Fuel to Fire on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/fueltofirecoaching/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!More

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with a fractional COO, Gina Folk. Gina explains that many people often don't fully understand the work of operations. Operations, she says, is the science and art of getting the job done effectively and efficiently. Business owners often fail to realize their desire for growth in the business because they are so focused on day-to-day work, which can lead to burnout and loss of love in business.As a Fractional COO, Gina can perform general oversight by reviewing a company's processes and systems. As a fractional COO, you can benefit from Gina's expertise for a fraction of the cost. She can help set up a company's infrastructure so that it can run smoothly and make all processes repeatable and scalable. Key Points from the Episode:Understand What Business Operations doThe Nature and Scope of OperationsThe Chief Cook and Bottle WasherWhat is the Process of Hiring a COO?What is a Fractional COO? About Gina Folk: Gina Folk has more than 20 years of experience helping organizations and individuals to achieve outstanding performance results, and has led global organizations in change efforts that have delivered improvements valued in the tens of millions of dollars. Folk holds an MBA from Belmont University and a BS in psychology and business from Vanderbilt University. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and author of the book People Leadership. Tweetable Moments:2:14 - "Operations is everything it takes to get the product or services delivered to your customers in an excellent way.4:20 - "Oftentimes people that still love to do the work but they are not getting the growth because they are so into the business.” Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guest Links Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? Check out Gina Folk’s website at https://www.ginafolk.com/Check out Gina Folk on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginafolk/Check out Gina Folk on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/GinaLFolk/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:Tickets for the FIRST Annual Fame and Profit Summit 2022 are on sale now! Check it out HERE!We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Director of TalkRadio.NYC, Sam Liebowitz.&nbsp;TalkRadio.NYC, as Sam explains, is a hybrid between a podcasting network and a traditional radio station. They handle the technological aspects, promotions and email marketing of the show so that the hosts can better focus on their genius. When asked why they should choose podcasting, Sam simply replied that he finds most people can easily make an emotional connection by listening. According to him, it is not always that easy, especially that it takes time and effort to do well, which is why he recommends finding people who can provide their service to you, use them and get to their level of expertise.Sam also highlighted the importance of aligning your message with your brand. Especially if you're looking for opportunities, you have to serve your audience and your industry first, make it fun, and help people in the process. Podcasting is the ultimate networking tool.&nbsp;Key Points from the Episode:What is TalkRadio.NYC?Why Does Podcasting Work?The Pros of PodcastsCommon Challenges Faced When Starting a PodcastThe Business Justification for Starting a PodcastTips to Engaging People&nbsp;About Sam Liebowitz: Sam Liebowitz, known as Conscious Consultant, is a twenty-seven year veteran entrepreneur in the field of human potential and empowerment. For more than ten years, he has owned and operated Double Diamond Wellness, Inc., in the heart of Manhattan. There, Sam provides coaching, business mentoring and healing services.&nbsp;About TalkRadio.NYC: TalkRadio.NYC is a broadcast-quality Internet radio station whose mission is to empower, uplift and educate audiences. They have been in business since 2010 and have produced nearly 50 shows and thousands of episodes. They have over 300,000 listeners in over 120 countries around the world!The programs are produced by professionals for professionals and cover all areas of life. Each of their hosts is an expert in their field on which their show is based. Topics range from leadership, personal and spiritual development, entrepreneurship, non-profit organizations and many other topics relevant to their global audience.&nbsp;Tweetable Moments:&nbsp;4:30 - "Our brand is about uplifting, educating and empowering people.”5:09 - "However, people do come to me and they do get those benefits, but they come to me because they want to serve their audience, they want to serve their industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:&nbsp;Want to learn more? Check out the TalkRadio.NYC website at https://www.talkradio.nycCheck out the TalkRadio.NYC on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkradionyc/Check out Sam Liebowitz on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/consciousconsultant/recent-activity/posts/Check out Sam Liebowitz on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/consultantconscious/Check out TalkRadio.NYC on Facebook at&nbsp; <a...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Host of Small Business Tax Savings Podcast, Mike Jesowshek.&nbsp;Small Business Tax Savings podcast brings awareness to tax strategies that can help businesses of different sizes maximize deductions. They help business owners keep most of the earnings while paying as little tax as legally possible. Mike talks about tax strategies business owners tend to overlook and ways to maximize deductions. There are many strategies agency owners can explore. However, he recommends that it's essential to take time to do tax planning. Look at core tax planning, strategize and implement it in your business.&nbsp;&nbsp;Key points from this episode:Overview of Tax Savings PodcastMost under-utilized tax strategies people overlookMaximizing deductionsAfter-tax vs Pre-tax dollarsDifferent types of tax strategies for different sizes of businessesDownfalls involved with S Corporation.Legal benefits of getting an LLC entityTax strategies Agency owners should look atHow to be strategic with tax saving?&nbsp;About Mike Jesowshek: Mike is a forward-thinking CPA on a mission to guarantee that small business owners pay the least amount of taxes legally possible. He has spent his entire career as an entrepreneur. Throughout this, he witnessed all stages of business, from the good to the bad. This is why he has made it his mission to assist enterprises in experiencing achievements and setbacks. This is the origin of the Small Business Tax Savings Podcast. His ultimate goal is to help business owners in an area they are generally unfamiliar with, accounting, while also ensuring they pay the least amount of taxes legally possible.&nbsp;About Small Business Tax Savings Podcast: It’s geared toward small business owners. They specialize in tax savings and solutions to provide small businesses with a solid financial foundation. They aim to make their clients pay as little tax as legally possible. This quick-hitting podcast hosted by Mike Jesowshek, CPA, aims to provide business owners with critical information without all the fluff.&nbsp;Tweetable Moments:03:06 - "That home office that we have, that computer that we bought, that desk that we bought, all of those are tax deductions to us now that we're business owners."03:21 - "When we talk about maximizing deductions, that's the core concept that we're talking about. We're not talking about go out and buy, spend a bunch of money that you don't need to spend or things on things that you don't need."11:53 - "As long as you're making some type of money, it normally makes sense to just kind of spend a little bit of cash to, to be able to get that LLC rolling."&nbsp;Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Small Business Tax Savings Podcast website at&nbsp;https://www.taxsavingspodcast.com/Check out the Small Business Tax Savings Podcast LinkedIn at&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/company/taxsavings/Check out the Small Business Tax Savings Podcast Instagram at&nbsp;<a...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Author and Founder of 3 Owl Agency, David Feldman.3 Owl Agency is a quick-thinking team of designers and thinkers who create tailored, data-driven creative solutions that adapt to changing client needs and enable transformational growth. David gives a fresh perspective on running small agencies and using them to make a huge impact. Business owners shouldn't limit themselves to small clients just because of the agency size they run. Setting out to build a company is an excellent opportunity to develop your own culture based on your value.&nbsp;&nbsp;Key points from this episode:Leveraging small agencies to your advantageThe playbook of how you can grow a business by intentionally staying small but making a significant impact on the worldHow the roles of being a CEO change once you hit the higher 7 figuresThe power in small companiesBenefits of running a smaller companyDon't limit yourself to small clients just because you're a small agencyBuilding a company means you get a unique opportunity to develop your own culture&nbsp;About David Feldman: David is the Founder and Director of Strategy at 3 Owl, an award-winning creative agency that creates websites that stand out from the noise.They’ve worked with companies like Mellow Mushroom, Great American Cookie Company, VitaLink, Taco Mac, and Wahoo. Numbers-wise, 3 Owl has 40+ employees and over seven figures in revenue.At the start of Covid-19, David had to fire 80% of his agency’s staff in one day. Despite the setback, he and the small team that stayed on never missed a deadline and continued to generate millions of dollars in added revenue for their clients. They also managed to grow 3Owl by 20% each year since.In 2021, David also wrote a book about how to scale a small business all while staying intentionally small, which is to be released by his publisher on May 15.About 3 Owl: 3 Owl is a cutting-edge branding agency that works with entrepreneurs with big dreams and goals. To equip their clients for success, they design fluid brand identities supported by the latest technologies and tools. They also build data-driven creative solutions that adapt to clients' shifting demands and support their transformational growth.Tweetable Moments:10:32 - "When you build your own company, you have a unique opportunity to build a culture which is just based on your values and based on your vision."09:08 - "Build long term relationships. There's so much more value there compared to the one-off projects with smaller clients."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the 3 Owl website at&nbsp;https://3owl.agency/Check out the 3 Owl Instagram at&nbsp;https://www.instagram.com/3owl.agency/Check out the 3 Owl Facebook at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/3owl.agency/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Co-Founder and Audience Awakening Expert of Inspiral Agency, John Abbott.Inspiral works with coaches and trainers struggling to sell their programs to their audience. John witnessed this firsthand and came up with the marketing approach of the Giving Model. Through this method, he addresses the barriers stopping the audience from accessing valuable resources offered by his clients and finds a way to bridge that gap for them. Making sales through this marketing strategy can make companies gain more profit. By giving more value and sharing gifts with their audience, their clients obtain advocates who will do the marketing for them — telling others about their wonderful experiences and the transformation they were exposed to.&nbsp;Key points from this episode:How did the idea of giving start?Coming from a place of giving can spark a new and interested audienceMaking sales through the foundation of givingHow does this marketing approach affect the profits?The importance of assessing applicants for the Giving ModelCan this marketing approach get speakers and trainers additional clients?&nbsp;About John Abbott: John Abbott, best-selling author and creator of The Giving Model, shows people how to build GIVING into their business. John believes that by giving we attract more to us. John started his entrepreneur journey at just 17 years old and has mentored over 200 entrepreneurs. As an expert in sales and marketing, John's goal is to add value to your audience by sharing how to implement The Giving Model. The Giving Model has helped many speakers and business owners add 30+ percent to their revenues.About Inspiral Agency: Inspiral is a small, extremely productive marketing and sales agency that predominantly serves high-end clients with the Giving Model service. They collaborate with speakers, event businesses, and promoters to maximize the impact of events to inspire and influence more lives.&nbsp;In essence, the Giving Model bridges the financial divide, allowing many more prospects to say yes to their transformation and, as a result, making a far more significant effect through the gifts our speakers were born to give to the world. The Giving Model has helped Anthony Robbins, Cloe Madanes, Peter Sage, Skip Archimedes, Brandon Bays, Roger Hamilton, and many others attract thousands more into their high-end programs and millions more in earnings.&nbsp;Tweetable Moments:15:58 - "The numbers work because the first ten that you sold, if you have a profitable business, clearly is a profitable model. Otherwise, you wouldn't be continuing that model."20:53 - "There is something that changes when you give first to someone, meet someone, and help them achieve what they want."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Inspiral Agency website at&nbsp;https://inspiral.agency/Check out John Abbott on LinkedIn at&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnabbottme/Check out John Abbott on Facebook at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/johnabbottme" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Principal Owner of Humans First, Rob Krecak.In today's world, where people are increasingly alienating themselves, Humans First help people connect with others. They work to remind individuals that love and joy come from connecting with others. Rob has historically been known for many things and made his mark in his business niche. He works as Chief Connection Officer, guiding companies and teams to a four-day work without losses in their profitability. He's an advocate that it's one of the effective ways to solve the stress and burnout problems in businesses. He believes that a substantial reason people can't deal with stress is the lack of social connection, making them perceive stress differently compared to individuals who fill their social tank.&nbsp;Key points from this episode:Overview of Four Day Work Weeks without cutting profitabilityImportance of retention mechanism for companiesHow does the Four Day Work Weeks work?Benefits of Four Day Work Weeks in companies and businessesWhat is the value of the Four Day Work Week system in recruiting?The importance of compartmentalizationTechnology increases stress and decreases our ability to deal with stressThe impact of technology, how people use it, and quality of lifeWhat do employees value more today?&nbsp;About Rob Krecak: After ten years of successfully running seven businesses, Robert is now focusing on his next venture. Humans First seek to help individuals improve their relationship with technology so that they may devote more time to the things that matter most in life, such as family and enjoyment. They accomplish this by legally shifting businesses from a 5-day workweek to a 4-day workweek while maintaining production and profitability. He works with open-minded CEOs who recognize that their staff may be frustrated or burned out and don't know how to overcome this.About Humans First: Humans First help business owners understand how technology affects mental health, relationships, and workplace efficiency through better technological mindfulness. Their Day Back System enables businesses to switch from a 5-day workweek to a 4-day workweek while maintaining production and profitability.Tweetable Moments:04:29 - "Many people don't realize that they're using their phones in a way that doesn't serve them well."06:07 - "In any given company, at any time, 80% of the value comes from the top 20% of employees. Those are your rockstar employees."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Humans First website at&nbsp;https://www.humansfirst.us/Check out Humans First on Tiktok at&nbsp;https://www.tiktok.com/@humans_firstCheck out Humans First on Facebook at&nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/Humans-First-106303642135507/?ref=pages_you_manageCheck out Rob Krecak on LinkedIn at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/" rel="noopener...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Principal Owner of Legal and Creative and Toerek Law, Sharon Toerek.Legal and Creative work with independent marketing agencies and digital marketing across the US. They help business owners monetize their intellectual capital and advertise and manage its legal implications. Sharon shared examples of rules or laws that people don't take seriously in the business focused issue and peer IP-focused issue perspective. She further explains when marketing agencies would need to consult a legal agency. According to her, agencies' intellectual property is their most significant asset, and how they leverage it is completely up to them.&nbsp;Key points from this episode:Laws that aren't being taken seriously enoughHow would businesses know if they need legal recourse?Leveling the playfield between the client and agency with legal recourseThe importance of confidentialityAre electronically signed documents and contracts worth a dime?Legal and Creative can help you with 3 things:Intellectual property, protection, registration, and other IP issues in marketing.Business transactions require solid documentation and a legal tool kit to protect businesses.Help businesses be compliant in the evolving regulatory landscape in marketing.About Sharon Toerek: Sharon Toerek is Principal of Toerek Law, where she focuses her law practice on helping professionals in the advertising, marketing, and creative industries monetize their intellectual capital, and manage the legal risks of their work. Sharon provides proactive, strategic counsel to marketing agencies on legal issues they face continually in their work, including agency-brand contracts, social media, content marketing legal compliance, and trademark and copyright protection. Sharon also created the Legal + Creative Agency Protection System, a subscription-based legal toolkit for marketing agencies.&nbsp;About Legal and Creative:Legal + Creative is a service that helps professionals in marketing, advertising, and communications protect their creative assets and generate revenue from those assets. This section contains articles discussing the legal difficulties encountered daily by marketers. Some examples of these difficulties include intellectual property rights, compliance with social media and content marketing, and the interactions between agencies, their clients, and freelancers.&nbsp;They protect, enforce, and monetize intellectual capital for advertising, marketing, and design professionals, as well as manage the legal ramifications of their work. Legal Creative caters to customers' needs in the advertising, marketing, and creative services industries, and she offers proactive, strategic advice on legal difficulties that firms confront.Tweetable Moments:08:41 - "Both sides [client and prospect] should be protected, and both sides should agree that what they're sharing doesn't go any farther without the permission of both parties."10:25 - "We think it's in the best interest of all parties to agree to keep all the information we're sharing confidential."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Legal and Creative website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legalandcreative.com/"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Founder, thought leader and speaker of 3Leaf, Thomas Watkins.3Leaf helps businesses achieve their dreams with designed psychology, especially for tech businesses looking for the next big thing. However, for this to work, business owners must know what the product has to do and provide them with data. Software design combines art and science, making it come together with art and using science to attach it to reality. Companies must have a vision for the future and understand where the business is headed in the future.&nbsp;Thomas's background in psychology brings a perspective to software design in terms of knowing how people react in different circumstances and predicting their behavior. He also shared a fun fact that individuals who enter the software design profession come from various professional backgrounds.&nbsp;Key points from this episode:Overview of 3LeafWhy do businesses need good design?The difference between art and science in designWhat does engagement look like with 3Leaf?Importance of short-term goals and long-term goals in tech productsHow would someone know they should work with 3leaf?About Thomas Watkins: Thomas Watkins is a thought leader, speaker, and industry practitioner located in Houston TX. He is a life-long learner who has a passion for bringing greater clarity to the world. Thomas has made it his career’s focus to combine technology with design psychology in order to drive business success. He specializes in helping his business partners bring their own brilliant ideas to life, by translating complexity into simplicity. The scope of his work has included interface design for mobile, SaaS system architecture, usability research, and data visualization.About 3Leaf: 3Leaf helps you better understand your target demographic by utilizing time-tested user experience (UX) models and design psychology to analyze user behavior and recommend the most effective next steps. They use time-tested methods and cutting-edge tools to improve the value-innovation of products and services. This can be assessed in terms of usability, task speed, customer conversion rate, virality of popularity, and the market's general good reaction to the product.They flawlessly incorporate your ideas into a campaign tailored to your target audience's language. They are experts in communicating through body language. The deliverables provided by 3Leaf are easy to understand, in-depth, and actionable. 3leaf will take care of the user experience so that CEOs and executives can concentrate on running the company without distraction.Tweetable Moments:00:58 - "We interact with the technological world all the time."13:43 - "Smash your competition by outthinking them with the design psychology."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out ProductWorld website at&nbsp;https://www.3leaf.consulting/Check out Thomas Watkins on LinkedIn at&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/company/3leaf/Check out Thomas Watkins on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/3leafmethod" rel="noopener...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder of ProductWorld, Oren Schauble.ProductWorld helps businesses and entrepreneurs build better products that keep up with the trends and latest technology. According to Oren, one of the most common errors companies make is concentrating too much on a single product rather than addressing the needs of their customers first. Working with ProductWorld means bridging that gap between customers and businesses.Oren shared simple exercises entrepreneurs can do when testing new product ideas. Doing these will help business owners build a more precise roadmap for their products. Identifying your product differentiator will ultimately help businesses outsmart the competition. He added that knowing the customers' pain points, understanding what they want, and seeing things from their perspective is crucial in product creation. There is a lot of complexity involved in product creation.&nbsp;Still, for Oren, the first step to getting started is to find a product you're passionate about, explore ideas about what products you can build around it, and understand your audience.Key points from this episode:Overview of ProductWorldHow did supplier chains change over the years?Key components of any productsNarrowing down your product differentiatorWhat are the best practices for creating products that stand out?Navigating the intellectual side of things when it comes to productsNothing is saturated in the world of so much consumption of productsWhat's it like to work with ProductWorld?What are the biggest pitfalls in product creation?What is the cost to start the product creation process?What comes first in product creation?About Oren Schauble: Oren Schauble's most recent endeavor was starting up a public consumer packaged goods firm Unrivaled Brands, where he also served as president. Before that, he was a product development and marketing executive specializing in regulated and luxury items. During that time, he was a part of the team that helped build the consumer drone product channel in big-box retail worldwide.About ProductWorld: ProductWorld works with businesses to help them build products centered around their audience. They help small product businesses access the global supply chain and work with them on creating their business product.Tweetable Moments:03:12 - "It's about how you make things that stand out and then how you make brands that will succeed over time and take advantage of TikTok or trends or new things that will propel you to the forefront."08:47 - "I recommend to people now, especially with TikTok and Twitter and everything being so big, is just make content. Start a blog and make a video every day in your niche."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out ProductWorld website at&nbsp;https://www.productworld.xyz/Check out Oren Schauble on LinkedIn at&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenj/Check out Oren Schauble on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/orenmeetsworld" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the CEO, Executive Coach and Author of BoomerangCoach, Reiner Lomb.BoomerangCoach focuses on leadership development, innovation, and transformational change in organizations, companies, and from start-ups to big corporations. They help leaders grow, increase their impact, articulate a future, and guide them in pursuing it. Reiner is a veteran in his field, with two decades of working and developing start-ups into multi-dollar companies. He teaches leaders to break the wall of learning and take them to the next level of development in their leadership.&nbsp;When talking about trends in leadership, he mentioned that emotional-based leadership competencies are more critical than ever. However, since this skill is not taught in school, people have to be willing to learn in the emotional space, and when they do, it's an excellent investment. Leaders immersing in this type of learning will allow them to move forward from emotions of the past and pivot them to be visionary leaders.Key points from this episode:What does a Boomerang Coach do?What kind of customers does BoomerangCoach attract?What does leadership coaching look like?Difference between therapy and executive coachingTrends in leadershipHow does one become a leader?How to get over cynicism?Importance of trust awareness for leadersAbout Reiner Lomb: Reiner is the founder of BoomerangCoach, an executive coaching firm specializing in leadership and career development, innovation, and transformational change. Reiner’s mission is to mobilize and develop leaders to create a more sustainable and positive future for all. As an executive coach, he works with leaders and changemakers in a wide range of organizations, from start-ups and multinational companies to non-profits and local communities - all who aspire to create transformational change. Whether he’s working with corporate executives, entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, or indigenous tribal leaders, Reiner’s clients appreciate his international business and cross-cultural leadership experience. Before becoming an executive coach, Reiner had a 30-plus year career in technology, started and developed software businesses, and led leadership development.&nbsp;At Hewlett-Packard, his home for 20-plus years, he launched new software product businesses and helped grow HP Software into a multi-billion dollar organization. While at HP, Reiner discovered his passion and talent in leadership development where he trained leaders in how to scale from leading one’s self, to leading others, to leading an entire organization. Reiner grew up in the western part of a divided Germany during the Cold War. Reiner’s heartache over his country’s role in the Holocaust and World War II awoke in him a lifelong desire to address the challenges that threaten future generations. Reiner is fluent in English and German, and his clients benefit from his global education, deep expertise in sustainability, and his many years as a community organizer. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Business from Pinchot University (now Presidio University) and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Paderborn (Germany). He is an accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He is also trained and certified in ontological coaching by Newfield Network and in team coaching by Team Coaching International (TCI). Reiner is the author of two books, ASPIRE: Seven Essential Emotions for...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and CEO of Walker Kreative, Cebron Walker.Walker Kreative works with corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, and medical agencies to share their message, services, and stories with their customers. With years of experience in public relations, Cebron leveraged this to help their clients build relationships with their potential customers by figuring out how to communicate their stories properly. Walker Kreative is all about marketing businesses through authenticity and humanizing them to their audience. He believes in the power of customers' testimonials and showing behind-the-scenes stories. Doing so will humanize the brand and poke into that familiarity bias of the audience.Key points from the episode:How did Cebron Walker get into marketing?Business owners understand the idea of marketing more than public relations.Misconceptions about public relations officers.The scope of work Walker Kreative does for their clients.Why is a relationship meaningful in getting clients?Recognizing the power of customers' testimonies.Humanizing yourself and your business builds trust.Leveraging familiarity bias in your business.The scope of work Walker Kreative does for their clients:They help businesses build a connection with their target audience through incredible video creation.Coming up with ways to let the audience know about their clients instantaneously.Assisting with building that trust between the business and its target audience.Making small businesses stand out from the competition.About Cebron Walker: Cebron Walker is a Marketing and Public Relations specialist with 30 years’ experience. He is the founder and CEO of Walker Kreative, a digital marketing agency with offices in St. Petersburg, Florida and Sacramento, California. Walker Kreative serves small business owners and healthcare practice owners across North America.His team is driven by the sole purpose of helping owners grow and thrive, no matter the economy. When it comes to building an online brand or developing an SEO-optimized website for a healthcare practice, no one does it better. Walker Kreative uses the latest tactics in video marketing, social advertising and content creation to grow new patient numbers and help practices lead in their region.If a client needs press relations or plans to hold events to build reputation and interest, no problem. Cebron’s early career included working as a PR and press officer generating thousands of PR stories with positive media exposure for clients around the world.Walker Kreative is NOT a “big box store” marketing company where you have an account rep and a number. Personalized customer services and fast response times to address a client’s needs have been at the foundation of our success and will always be at the heart of our business.Cebron, his wife Angela and their 7-year-old son Matteo live in St. Petersburg, FL. When not working, Cebron is an avid tennis enthusiast and is trying out paddleboarding but mostly spends time in the water trying to get back up on the board.About Walker Kreative: A digital marketing firm specializing in working with local and medium-sized enterprises, as well as medical offices. They're enthusiastic about design, video, writing, and advertising, all of which will help convey your one-of-a-kind message to the world and encourage customers to visit your storefront, visit your website, and call your...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Founder and CEO of Trust Science, Evan Chrapko.Trust Science aid preexisting data scientists or risk departments in assessing borrowers’ profiles. They can be the entire solution for smaller businesses or those who have never had experience working with a bureau before because of low score levels. They bring automation and automated decision-making in a high degree of predictability on creditworthiness.&nbsp;Evan gave out some indicators of what to look at when assessing an individual's creditworthiness. He also talked through the challenges in the conventional system and how Trust Science comes into play to close the gap. Working with the Trust Science system helps their customers find a lender customer worldwide.Key points from the episode:What industry does Trust Science work with?Why are old formula credits a bit problematic?Indicators to look at to assess creditworthiness.How did Trust Science come about?Business growth opportunities for Trust Science.About Evan Chrapko: Evan is a serial entrepreneur and investor having served as CEO or advisor for numerous innovative start-ups including FloNetworks (acquired by DoubleClick for $80 Million) and PlateSpin (acquired by Novell for $205 Million). Prior to Trust Science, Evan and his brother Shane founded and, within 30 months, sold cloud storage pioneer DocSpace for $568 million. Evan is a CPA, CA and holds a Juris Doctor (Law Degree) from Columbia University. He is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a member of YPO, and he has been named to the Real Leaders Global 100 (alongside Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Peter Diamandi,s et. al.) and a Top 50 AI CEO (alongside others like the CEO of Data Robot.)&nbsp;About Trust Science: Organizations in many industries rely on credit scores to gauge amounts and types of credit that they will offer to an individual. Those scores purport to provide meaningful information about how much debt a person should be able to take on and what the level of risk (the borrower’s probability of default) will be. However, the information from old credit bureaus isn't always deep enough for a meaningful assessment, in part because it relies on outdated types of data &amp; calculation methods.&nbsp; This is especially punishing for the financially disadvantaged or N2C (New to Country/New to Credit) person. Credit Bureau 2.0, a FinTech SaaS platform, is the solution to this problem, harnessing alternative data and explainable AI for&nbsp; more accurate and precise credit assessments. This is enabling lenders to find more trustworthy borrowers and letting borrowers gain access to credit based on information that traditional credit bureaus aren't taking into account.Tweetable Moments:02:24 - "You have people down there, approximately 40% of the people below 700who, if you gave them the money, would behave like prime or super prime borrowers. They would rather lose their left arm than welch on a debt."02:47 - "Many agonies and unnecessary exclusion happen because the current multi-decades-old and multi‑billion dollar system doesn't work very well."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Trust Science website at...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Founder and CEO of Awareness Strategies Inc, Michelle Nedelec.Awareness Strategies Inc takes care of the unsexy part of businesses so CEO and executives can have more time to do what they're passionate about. Being the brain behind the tech and strategy, Michelle shared some inside tips on what makes advertising campaigns successful. She also pointed out that it's imperative to make clients feel they're valued and not just a transaction. Doing this will be much easier for businesses to turn these customers into fans.&nbsp;Working with Awareness Strategies&nbsp; will help businesses define their marketing plan and the process of implementing it.Key points in this episode:What valuable components are involved in advertising campaigns?Industries Awareness Strategies Inc works with.A business tagline that makes you want to say, "No, stop saying that."Awareness Strategies Inc, engagement structure with clients.Valuable components in advertising campaigns:Have a different message going out to different people in your audience.Build out your team.Have a system in place to integrate your data.About Michelle Nedelec: International bestselling author, Michelle Nedelec is an expert in Entrepreneurialism and the founder of Awareness Strategies. She’s run her own series of companies for over 22 years and for over 15 years has been helping Managers and Executives to continually double their profits and revenues. She not only has what it takes to help her clients build a million dollar businesses, but she does it time and time again. Michelle particularly loves to talk about Marketing Automation, Systems Integration and support both on and off&nbsp; the stage. She teaches the key components of business: Strategy, Systems, Support and State of Mind, so you know how to continually elevate all three components to build a healthy thriving business. For the past 6 years she’s been focusing on helping entrepreneurs bring their businesses online from conceptualization to Done For Your IT automation.&nbsp;About Awareness Strategies Inc: At Awareness Strategies, they have a profound respect for and commitment to the entrepreneurial mindset. Their principal mission is to ensure the success of other businesses. They see to it that firms are able to put the appropriate systems in place in the quickest and most concise way possible.Tweetable Moments:05:52 - "There's a lot of good marketing out there and people are saying, "Hey, my stuff is awesome, it's amazing and it's gonna be able to do this," but it doesn't"07:34 - "You are one click away from a million dollar business."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Awareness Strategies Inc website at https://www.awarenessstrategies.com/Check out Awareness Strategies Inc on YouTube at&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGInkNVN2js2qirhxW8cksQCheck out Awareness Strategies Inc on Facebook at&nbsp;<a...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO of Jahnel Group, Darrin Jahnel.Jahnel Group is a custom software development company that helps businesses meet their needs regarding software. They're located in Schenectady, NY, and have been around since 2008. When asked how they can compete with other software giants in the market in closing deals, Darrin stated that it's all about relationships. He further explained that proving to people that they can offer value before even experiencing their service is a good way to build relationships. Jahnel Group doesn't rely on marketing or sales to get clients but through the good relationships they've built with their previous customers. According to Darrin, their ideal clients are people who are looking for talented people to do projects. Jahnel Group houses great talent capable of solving software challenges businesses go through.&nbsp;Key points in this episode:How does the Jahnel group land big deals?How to stand out in the noisy space of the software market.The role of relationships in getting clients.Best practices in hiring a software development firm.Being surrounded by highly motivated people snowball productivity.Jahnel Group's ideal clients.Process of engagement with Jahnel Group.Best practices in hiring a software development firmWork your network and look for someone who had a positive experience with a firm and from there, start doing your research.Get a clickable prototype.About Darrin Jahnel: Darrin Jahnel is the founder and CEO of Jahnel Group, a 150-person software consulting company headquartered in Schenectady, NY. Darrin leads with energy and is maniacally focused on creating an amazing work environment for his team. Darrin earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University at Albany and a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from NYU’s Stern School of Business.&nbsp;Prior to starting the company in 2012, Darrin worked as a Senior Software Engineer on Wall Street. Darrin has led numerous engineering teams on multi-million dollar projects and is a member of MENSA.&nbsp;He is happily married and has 4 children (2 adopted children and 2 birth sons). Darrin’s oldest son, Gideon, is from Nigeria. Although Darrin and his wife refer to Gideon as their son, they were not able to officially adopt him. Gideon has parents and 5 siblings back in Nigeria. Last year, Gideon worked 60 hours a week, all summer long and earned enough money to buy his family a house back in Nigeria. Outside of work, Darrin enjoys working out, coaching basketball, drinking beer, and woodworking.&nbsp;About Jahnel Group: Jahnel Group develops custom software for businesses. They're a 120-person software consulting firm situated in Schenectady, New York. They specialize in designing and developing web-based apps, websites, mobile applications, and everything digital and are known experts in the entire software development life-cycle. Occasionally they create and construct a complete application, while others supplement an existing business team to help with specific projects.Jahnel Group is capable of helping you either with expanding your current development team or outsourcing a whole software project, depending on which of these two goals you like to achieve. They have a successful track record of finishing projects on schedule and without exceeding the allotted spending limit.Tweetable Moments:04:57 - "It's really about establishing relationships and proving to...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the Chief Innovation Officer of Henry Schein, Bruce Lieberthal.Henry Schein provides products, solutions, and services that practitioners in the United States use. They serve as a beacon in health care, aiming to provide innovative, integrated healthcare products and services, allowing them to deliver quality patient care and improve practice management efficiency and profitability.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bruce stated that innovation is a different thing for each company. For Henry Schein, innovation is about finding products, services, and solutions so they can evaluate them and get them to be mapped around their business units. Bruce's team in the innovation serves as the intake funnel for new ideas that can be a solution, products, and services coming, and it's his role as the Chief Innovation Officer to allocate these products appropriately to each business unit so it can be marketed and commercialized.&nbsp;&nbsp;He also pointed out that the pandemic accelerated the progress of innovation regarding infection control and infection. He then shared his thoughts about development of AI and its progressive utilization in medicine would help practitioners test their patients and get the necessary information about the patient's health status.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company's network of trusted advisers, which includes more than 22,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, provides more than 1 million customers with more than 300 valuable solutions that improve operational success and clinical outcomes.&nbsp;Key points in this episode:The role of Henry Schein during the pandemicWhat's your area of focus as Chief Innovation Officer?Innovation is different things in different companiesThe meaning of innovation in HenryExciting areas of medicine in the coming years and the effects it'll have in the fieldThe impact of AI in the field of medicine&nbsp;Exciting areas of medicine in the coming years:Artificial intelligenceInternet of things, embedding the internet and smarts into everyday thingsPrecision medicineAbout Bruce Lieberthal: Bruce serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for Henry Schein, Inc., reporting to Chris Pendergast, Henry Schein’s Global Chief Technology Officer.&nbsp; In this role, he is at the nexus of evaluating hundreds of cutting edge solutions and technologies, advising the many medical and dental business units of Henry Schein on important emerging trends and helping connect the company’s global sales, marketing and distribution capabilities with important new products that help its customers run better practices and deliver excellent patient care.&nbsp;Previously, from 2009 until 2015, he was the Vice President, Emerging Technologies for Henry Schein, Inc., reporting to the president of Henry Schein’s Global Practice Solutions Group. Bruce had oversight responsibility for Henry Schein Medical Systems (MicroMD) between 2011 and 2017 and currently leads Henry Schein One’s DDX business. He led the ConnectDental team, focused on the launch of Henry Schein’s digital dentistry business, for two years and worked closely with the Corporate Business Development Group advising on technology opportunities.He started, at Henry Schein, as the Director of Product Management to the leadership team in Utah when Discus Dental Software was acquired by Henry Schein, Inc. in May 2007 and was promoted, in 2008, to Vice-President of Product Management and Development, managing all of Henry Schein Practice Solutions’ software lines and development

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the CEO of HamiltonDemo, Yvan Demosthenes.HamiltonDemo brings additional resources to the clients, helping them with placement and recruiting projects for organizations. Yvan grew up witnessing the effects of diversity in the community and noticed how groups that embraced this thrived more compared to its counterparts. Through examples and stories he shared, it was clear that diversity is a significant factor in businesses' productivity and growth. He also explained that there's a difference on how each organization defines diversity.HamiltonDemo works with different segments in the business, allowing them to develop best practices. By embracing all demographics in the business, Yvan and his team learned that the future is in small and medium businesses. HamiltonDemo has the vision to attract diverse candidates. This better represents the goal of developing a dynamic, flexible workforce that today's global economy and multicultural labor force require.Key Points from the Episode:The impact of HamiltonDemo to the world.Inception of HamiltonDemo.Small and medium size business is the future. The difference of definition of diversity in organizations.The Effects of Embracing Diversity in Organizations:Diverse organizations drive more revenue.Organizations that embrace diversity stand the test of time.They attract more customers.About Yvan Demosthenes: Yvan Demosthenes is the CEO at HamiltonDemo. HamiltonDemo sources game-changing talent—qualified, proven professionals who will propel your business forward. Hire with confidence. HamiltonDemo has a team size of 2-10 employees and is perfect for those looking for qualified talent ready to help your business thrive. As a boutique firm with a national reach, HamiltonDemo has the scale to ensure your needs are comprehensively met while possessing the flexibility to tailor our approach to your search’s unique challenges.About HamiltonDemo: HamiltonDemo assists organizations with recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diversified pool of exceptional talent. Their team has the insight and expertise to enable you, whether you're an investor looking to expand or upgrade your portfolio management team, or an executive interested in learning more about prospects and exciting opportunities in your industry. HamiltonDemo believes that a varied and inclusive workforce is the best method to ensure the creation of fresh ideas.Tweetable Moments:08:36 - "We could look at 55 and older, 65 and older age is a big, huge demographic that's growing at the fastest pace than it ever has."10:08 - "Diverse organizations have better bottom lines. They drive more revenue than their counterparts. Those organizations that have embraced diversity in the past have stood the test of time."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the HamiltonDemo website at https://www.hamiltondemo.com/Check out HamiltonDemo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/hamiltondemo/Check out Yvan Demosthenes on LinkedIn at<a...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO of Greener Process Systems Inc, Matt Sweetwood. Greener Process Systems Inc works to capture emissions of oceans from ships docked in the port. According to Matt, the increasing number of ships is one of the world's leading causes of air pollution. It's a global catastrophic problem that everyone is experiencing today. Greener Process Systems helps counter this issue with its technology that captures harmful emissions from ships, aiming to reduce air pollution. Matt goes into the details of how their device does its work capturing harmful emissions. He even shared what's to come for Greener Process Systems technology and their collaboration with European universities to polish their work further. Through their device, they're setting out to change the world for the better. Key Points from the Episode: Overview of Greener Process Systems Inc. Idling ships is a cause of global air pollution. Impact of idling ships on the environment. How do people from port cities benefit from Greener Process Systems technology? How does the Greener Process Systems device work? What sets their technology apart from devices in the market? About Matt Sweetwood: Matt Sweetwood is the CEO of Greener Process Systems Inc and the co-Founder of Insurious and Luxnow. He is a successful serial entrepreneur, professional speaker, business consultant, award-winning marketer, social media influencer, personal branding expert, and photography instructor. Matt was the CEO of beBee. He served as President of Unique Photo, NJ’s premiere camera store for 28 years. Nationally known in the photography industry as an innovator, he has helped acquire over 25 U.S. and International Trademarks, and he founded and ran the Ozzie Award winning publication Photo Insider®. Matt has been credited with the reinvention of the modern camera store, as well as the country’s largest in-store education program, the Unique University®. Unique Photo was named 2008 and “2013 Dealer of the Year” by Digital Imaging Reporter magazine. Matt was named the Photo Industry’s, “2016 Person of the Year” by the PMDA. However, by far, his greatest achievement is having raised five successful children to adulthood as a single dad. Matt was awarded full custody of their five children, ages 18 months to 8 years old. In the 25+ years since, he has raised his kids into happy, successful and kind hearted adults. He has a #1 best-selling book, “Leader of the Pack: How a single dad of five led his kids, his business and himself from disaster to success.” In it he details his journey to success as a father and as a business leader. Matt has appeared as a regular contributor on Fox News, NBC Today Show, CBS TV, News 12 NJ, PIX11, and other high-profile programs. He has also spoken publicly for organizations like Panasonic, UPS, PMDA, Microsoft, NJ Devils Hockey and the BMW CCA, and was a member of the prestigious CMO Club, where he won the President’s Award in 2014. His past charitable endeavors include having served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at both The Aish Center (https://aishny.com/), a spiritual/educational non-profit and The Josephine Herrick Project (http://jhproject.org/), a nonprofit that uses photography to enhance the lives of the underserved. Matt was honored by The Aish Center with its 2014 Continuity Award. He is currently an advisory board member for Ithaca College School of Business’ Customer Experience Certificate Program, which helps teach a new generation of business leaders about the power of great customer service. Proving his contention that single dads can...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder of Bosunsolutions, Nicole Grinnell. Bosunsolutions was created around six years ago and is aiming to supply remote staffing for business owners. Nicole explains some common challenges or mistakes made by business owners are bad hiring or putting too much work on one new hire because that is all a company could afford. If an employee does not fit into every box, it could lead to less productivity and efficiency. Bosunsolutions works to find individuals that fit into each specific box and can do the work effectively and productively. Nicole explains the name Bosun was referred to repeatedly on a television show and they connected to the meaning. Bosun is a position on a ship that supports the captain and the crew. They are connected to this because they help support businesses and support the owners stay in the captain's position to keep their focus on what matters. Nicole explains she has been involved with business her entire life from watching her parents struggle to scale their business to serving as an executive assistant. Bosunsolutions was a way to bring together employers who need help with their business and employees who may not want a full-time job or individuals who work from home. Nicole states that they worked to find a way for businesses to scale through human capital without having fixed employees. During Covid, many fixed employees were let go and now that things are opening back up, more flexible employees are wanted. This is an area where Bosunsolutions fits in very well as they provide the platform for these flexible workers to be hired by businesses. Nicole explains they have had a focus on administration workers this year regarding bookkeeping as well as social media management and placement services. While other platforms are good for project-oriented work, Bosunsolutions is focused on the team aspect between a business and its outsourced workers as well as supporting both sides in the process. Engagement with Bosunsolutions starts with a strategy call to gauge what is needed by the business to create more revenue, then they can add in workers to support the business one by one. Sourcing is done by taking the strategy call as well as other factors into account such as culture, to find the best worker for the business. An onboarding call will then ensue so the business owner can meet their new employee and their relationship manager that supports both sides. Quarterly meetings will be had to determine if the metrics are being hit or if something needs to change. The time span between the strategy call to onboarding is about five to seven days depending on the needs of the business. Key Points from the Episode: What Bosunsolutions does Common challenges encountered by business owners Where the name Bosunsolutions originated How Nicole came into this business Why Bosunsolutions is a relevant solution in 2022 Experts Bosunsolutions sources How working with Bosunsolutions differs from other platforms Engagement with Bosunsolutions About Nicole Grinnell: At a very young age, Nicole gained experience in small business ownership working in her family’s business from the age of 10. She worked in corporate America until the start of her remote fractional staffing company and took it to $1M within 2 years. The mission of Bosun is to give the small business owner a nimble and profitable business in ANY economy. About Bosunsolutions: At Bosun, they want to holistically solve clients’ problems by providing the right remote team members for all back-office roles who can operate their business. New services to clients include implementing and automating...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO and Chairman of Proof Analytics, Mark Stouse. Proof Analytics is a marketing analytics platform that strives to help its clients make better decisions on a consistent efficient basis. In typical analytical formats, a business will see its statistics every quarter, half, and yearly basis. This does not help the business as they will always be looking backward while they are trying to move forwards which clouds the progression. Proof Analytics allows for consistent results to be provided so businesses can see where things need to change to promote growth. Mark explains that many teams are doing multiple variable regression analytics the old-fashioned way which does not promote efficiency for businesses. Proof Analytics changes this by providing the platform of speed for these consistent accurate results so businesses can get the results faster to make the changes faster. Mark explains throughout Covid, video conferencing platforms soared in demand and the platforms were not built for this at the time. Revenues climbed as well as the stress on the technology that provided those services such as struggling bandwidth. Changes are happening at rapid pacing which changes the trajectory of investments and business strategies completely. Mark explains that self-aware automation is far from taking over because humans provide morality, ethics, and awareness of context that automation cannot. Mark explains that analytics gives context to data because without that context data cannot do much to aid a business. Analytics help businesses identify changes to patterns and make the appropriate responses to them so they can contribute to their growth and stability in the market. Key Points from the Episode: What Proof Analytics is How Proof Analytics tackles data differently Changes Mark has noticed throughout Covid Automation The importance of analytics About Mark Stouse: Mark is the CEO of Proof Analytics, a marketing analytics platform that helps CMOs and CFOs bridge the ROI gap by providing cause-and-effect analytics that shows marketing and sales true business impact and financial worth. The company's 'Proof Business GPS' guides through the whole marketing lifecycle, and provides a complete picture of a company's marketing efforts. Their solution enables planning, budgeting, and optimization of marketing in all channels. An award-winning B2B CMO and CCO, Mark is one of the first leaders to connect all types of marketing investment to revenue, margin, and cash flow impact in complex, long-cycle companies. In 2014, he was named Innovator of the Year for his pioneering work by U.S. marketing leaders. Tweetable Moments: 06:04 "You've got to put the crude into a refinery and generate the gas that can power your car. It's the same thing with analytics. Analytics is the refinery, and we have automated very large portion of it." 12:09 "If you believe that tomorrow is going to be just like today, then go for it, right? But that's not happening. That's not the way life is. That's certainly not the way business is." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: Links Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? Check out the Proof Analytics website at https://www.proofanalytics.ai/ Check out Proof Analytics on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/proofanalytics/ Check out Mark Stouse on LinkedIn at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstouse/" target="_blank"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO and Founder of goLance, Michael Brooks. GoLance is a freelance marketplace that focuses on lowering its costs compared to competitors while increasing the number of features on its platform. Michael explains some competitors like to keep their interactions between provider and consumer on a texting basis and things like sharing phone numbers could result in the termination of the provider. This is a negative quality as it is easy for things to get lost in translation through texting and having a quick call can clear those issues up almost immediately. GoLance is solving this issue for the common freelancer so they do not feel taken advantage of and can provide the appropriate services to the consumer in an easier way. Michael explains that they plug in Slack, Zoom, and Google Meets platforms so the freelancers can have better connections with their clients which can lead to more valuable services being provided and ending with happy clients. The way goLance operates starts with the consumer posting a job and the freelancers will apply. They will take that job opening and encourage people within that specific sector to apply as they are the individuals best fitted for the work. There is a head of the community that encourages freelancers to apply for jobs, complete their profiles, show off their work, as well as finding out who they are so they can find the best job for them. Key Points from the Episode: What goLance is and how it’s unique Competitor downfalls and goLance’s strengths How goLance operates The goLance origin story About Michael Brooks: Michael Brooks is a strong believer in harmony, teamwork, loyalty, and partnership. He has spent years building businesses with remote freelance talent and implementing strategic solutions through digital marketing and electronic payments. As founder of the award-winning online freelance marketplace goLance, Michael made it his mission to help others by finding new business solutions through digital marketing and electronic payments. Michael has published two books focused on digital marketing strategy for eCommerce businesses and one book on remote businesses. His perspective is that success doesn’t happen without risk – but with the right approach (and some luck), it’s possible to minimize the risks while maximizing your chances for success. Tweetable Moments: 06:17 "You're an entrepreneur. You don't want to be owned, right? You want freedom, and that's why you chose the life you have." 07:56 "If you are not constantly providing value, enough value to where people want to use your service, then you're doomed." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: Links Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? Check out the goLance website at https://golance.com/ Check out goLance on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/golance/ Check out Michael Brooks on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelabrooks/ Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence: &#xfe0f;We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE. Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you.<a href="https://upmyinfluence.com/b2b"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and CEO of Carter &amp; Custer, Jim Carter III.Carter &amp; Custer helps entrepreneurs thrive to make a bigger impact in the world. Jim has had a large interest in technology all of his life and his partner works more with the consumer package goods and marketing side of the business world. They help entrepreneurs by using ethical-based marketing and they love to support nonprofit organizations. Carter &amp; Custer works in primarily two ways, the first being through their mastermind program, Fast Foundations. Through this, they bring entrepreneurs together into a community and offer in-person events as well as coaching to help them get from a starting point to building a stable foundation for their business. The second way Carter &amp; Custer works is by providing repeatable flat-rate services for entrepreneurs in the areas they need such as email management or search engine optimization. They can also make content out of podcasts to push out to the client’s audience as well as help manage content for social media platforms.Jim explains that using platforms such as Facebook or Linkedin to communicate or engage with an audience comes with a price as an individual is using someone else’s platform with different rules. However, when an individual has ownership of their own audience through platforms like Circle or Mighty Networks, it allows for personal rules to be made and the elimination of threats from the algorithm. Jim explains that search engine optimization is a long process and a content footprint needs to be planted now so that channel of opportunity can be realized. The midrange form of marketing is email marketing which an individual can slowly grow through their list and gain the trust of the people on their list. Once their trust and support has be gained, the business can start to push its offers toward them through the email list. The short form of marketing is using platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram reels, or Youtube shorts. This can get information out in an easily digestible way for an audience and promote growing a businesses reach or audience.Key Points from the Episode:The work Jim does with Carter &amp; CusterHow Carter &amp; Custer worksCommunityDifferences in marketing stylesAbout Jim Carter III:Jim Carter II is the Founder and CEO of Carter &amp; Custer, a digital marketing agency that specializes in amplifying the online influence of nonprofits and change-makers so they can have a greater impact on the world. The agency has helped build multiple $1M social impact companies, and together with one of its clients, Pencils of Promise has raised over $300,000 to educate children in need around the globe. Jim believes that if you let your desire for social change align with your professional talents, you can make an incredible impact on the world. This belief led him to use his over two decades of tech experience to raise over $20M for different charities in the last eight years.Tweetable Moments:06:58 - "When you're playing in somebody else's field, you are susceptible to their roles."07:46 - "When you have those phone numbers, there's called data portability. It gives you the ability to have that information and make it portable."10:50 - "You have to ask yourself what game do you wanna play and where are your customers that you want to talk to? And if you believe more of them are searching the web for it, well then you should really start getting content out into the world."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: <a href="https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guest" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Crisis Culture and Performance Specialist and the Director and Founder of Waterhole Leadership Program, Mark Ashby.A Crisis Culture and Performance Specialist is in the corporate sphere that works with an individual concerning their business to change their mindset whether it is regarding personal, staffing, or cultural business issues. Crisis Culture and Performance Specialists are needed today because it is better for businesses to be working preemptively rather than reactively. Mark has worked with media networks in Australia, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia,&nbsp; and the United States Military. Mark explains that he will get into the nuts and bolts of a business when he is advising them. This can help him determine if it is a communication issue, an issue with the executives, or a culture problem. Mark explains that he takes the emotions out of decisions and advises his clients to do so to make the most rational decision.If a toxic environment is allowed to fester within a business, it will run out of control very quickly. Mark explains that bigger businesses with toxic leadership can almost absorb the blows from high turnover rates because they are such big companies. At times the higher executives are not connected to the lower end of the business, which is why this toxicity may not be addressed. Mark explains with one on one mentoring he will go in and listen first to get the full story of what is going on to then be able to fix the issues the individual is having.Key Points from the Episode:What a Crisis Culture and Performance Specialist doesWhy Crisis Culture and Performance Specialists are needed todayMark’s ClienteleHow Mark approaches business issuesToxic LeadershipHow Mark makes change happenAbout Mark Ashby:Mark Ashby is a highly-regarded specialist who assists multinational companies and their leaders in crisis awareness, cultural change &amp; high-performance leadership. He has displayed an extraordinary ability to perform optimally under stressful scenarios through extensive experiences as a member of the Elite Paratroopers and other Specialist roles in the Australian Army, with Operational tours of East Timor.Mark was deployed to Iraq as a team leader in the highly-dangerous private security sector for eleven years before returning to Australia to work as a senior risk consultant in the corporate world for six years.Mark relied on rigorous training and discipline to carry out forty-one operational rotations, consisting of one thousand six hundred missions successfully completed during his time as a Close Protection Team Leader. Mark’s duties often took him to high-threat, hostile situations where he faced immense pressure to perform tasks in both covert and overt capacities with great emotional control, discipline, and accuracy.Having been attached to the U.S. military, and the U.S. State Department and embedded with the Green Berets, Mark’s adaptability to extreme situations of crisis and armed conflict allowed him to oversee operations of the highest global, financial and geopolitical importance such as the first two independent elections in Iraq.Mark also spent four years ensuring the safety and security of Australian Diplomats and Politicians as a close protection team leader at the Australian Embassy in Baghdad.Since returning to the corporate sector &amp; setting up my own consulting firm in Australia, I’ve been using my experience to assist senior members of multinational companies in leadership, crisis awareness, and cultural change so they can become more resilient and adaptable. I recently completed my Master’s Degree with...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and CEO of Knit, Aneesh Dhawan.Knit is a Gen Z insights platform that helps brands tap into the audience of Gen Z to develop feedback on their products. Companies use their platform by uploading questions and within a few hours, Gen Z consumers will answer them. Brands can target specific audiences down to a city level or demographic. The technology of Knit allows for the answers to be compiled and analyzed for easy access for the company to then use to revise its marketing strategies. Aneesh and his co-founder found through their past work experience, that the way marketers are talking towards Gen Z is not working. They came up with the idea to get marketers involved with their younger consumer base at the speed of the internet. Knit obtained a majority of their panelists of Gen Z by going out and recruiting themselves. They also have third-party partnerships that help them amplify their reach. Aneesh explains that they work primarily with consumer brands on concept testing their marketing and understanding Gen Z.Key Points from the Episode:What Knit doesEngagement between Knit and its partnersHow Knit came aboutRecruitment of Gen ZUse casesAbout Aneesh Dhawan:Aneesh Dhawan is the CEO and co-founder of Knit, the Gen Z insights platform. Aneesh launched his first company, a Gen Z agency called Feed A Friend, at the age of 16. A few years later, he started Knit the platform helping brands like JBL, the WNBA, and NASCAR understand the next generation of consumers. Aneesh is an avid traveler, triathlete, and loves golden doodles.Aneesh was born a problem solver. In 9th grade, he worked with an NGO and a team at MIT to install a desalination device in a village in Haiti. In 10th grade, he launched his first company - Feed A Friend, a cause marketing agency. In 11th grade, he spearheaded a project bringing solar-powered lights to the local school and 100+ residents of a rural Haitian village. By the time Aneesh was a senior in high school, he had founded and launched PurPics, which later became Knit.When not working for the company, Aneesh is an avid traveler and endurance sports competitor. He has traveled to 20+ countries, is an Ironman 70.3 finisher, and loves to swim and wrestle. His personal dream is to travel and compete in an IronMan on every continent, but his larger passions include solving the world's most challenging problems through technology and partnerships.Tweetable Moments:04:16 - "The way people are talking to their customers today just doesn't work."04:26 - "When it comes to this next generation, our behaviors, our attitudes, our preferences are literally changing at the speed of the internet."06:38 - "The other big use case is if you're a consumer brand and you just need to understand how is Gen Z shopping, how are they making different decisions?"Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Knit website at https://goknit.com/Check out Knit on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/goknit/Check out Aneesh Dhawan on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/aneesh-dhawan-140212141Check out Aneesh...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and CEO of Infinite SOULutions, Carrie Schmidt.Carrie helps individuals connect to their power, passion, and purpose and help them stop focusing so much on others' expectations by putting that focus on where they want to go. Carrie is a life and business success coach to aid clients in improving their personal lives alongside aiding companies to improve their operations. There are many individuals whose purpose for having a successful business is based on the common dream of retiring early without any worries. However, this dream could get old in reality and it may take a wake-up call for an individual to reevaluate. Carrie explains that death, disease, and divorce are the main avenues that cause individuals to step back and evaluate their life or where they want to go from there. The times are changing and entrepreneurs should embrace these changes to influence the future of their businesses. Society is becoming more about making a true impact rather than being influenced primarily by money.Carrie explains that employers should connect with their employees and understand their purpose alongside determining their strengths and weaknesses. This can help the employers help their staff realize their strengths build the strengths of the entire organization as well as aid the employees in their weaknesses to grow. Through this, trust, comradery, and effective communication are created which also helps strengthen and grow the business or team. Lean organizations are built from the bottom up and the changes come from the employees who feel valued. Carrie explains that lean organizations are focused heavily on fixing problems rather than putting them aside. Throughout life, individuals are conditioned to believe specific things and process those ideas a certain way. Carrie explains that becoming aware of one's perspective and the programming that lead to that can allow an individual to change their thought processes to allow for improvement in the individual's personal life and career.Key Points from the Episode:The impact Carrie has in the worldManaging expectations and goalsThe shift from money to purposeConnecting someone with their passionLean organizationPrinciples within Carrie’s book Behind the ScreenAbout Carrie Schmidt:&nbsp;As the Founder and CEO of Infinite SOULutions, LLC, Carrie Schmidt puts the SOUL in SOULutions by transforming lives personally and professionally. She is a dynamic, influential Thought Leader and Motivational Speaker who has the ability to instantly captivate your mind, heart and awaken your soul by empowering you to gain clarity of your purpose in life, overcome limiting beliefs, and have the confidence to step outside your comfort zone. She customizes her approach to each client's needs and teaches the tools required to actually transform their personal or professional goals into reality.Carrie teaches a structured system of transformation that helped her transform her own life and now has a significant impact on others’ lives. Having done all of this herself, as a single mom at age 25 on welfare and barely making it by, Carrie vowed to provide the best life for her son. She entered corporate America working in an entry-level position in Customer Service and swiftly climbed the ladder in management by showcasing her talents for problem-solving, team building, and conscious leadership. After 10 years of dedicated hard work, Carries assumed full P&amp;L responsibility for a $100 million unionized manufacturing facility as a General Manager. Within 3 months of being promoted to this position, a woman in a mostly male-dominated industry, she led the team to record-breaking...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder, CEO, and General Counselor of Judy Weber Co, Judy Weber.Judy’s work is faith-based working with women within her same faith to achieve business goals and make the work of having a business easier while being more profitable. Judy grew up poor and has had a difficult life throughout the years. She was able to overcome the challenges and make her dreams a reality. Judy explains that she maintains a positive attitude when handling difficult situations or trauma so she can grow and not be stuck. Being stuck in a negative headspace can be a cause for missed opportunities and taking steps back. Judy advises that individuals should look at others with open eyes as well as understand everyone has trauma and support or accept them regardless. Faith in yourself is important as it relates to everyone an individual does and being in tune with that can allow for deeper introspection and growth.Judy explains that scaling involves three simple steps under the acronym joy. J is for a jump start, which involves looking at the strategy of a business to simplify it to a more efficient strategy. O is for optimization, which involves looking into their business team to ensure everyone is doing what is needed as well as looking into business processes and automation. Y is for yield, which involves monitoring results from revenue to client results and testimonials. Many individuals worry about hiring another team member because they cannot afford it. Judy explains that it can be more beneficial to hire someone to work on specific tasks than a business owner doing it themselves. This is because more time will be freed up for the business owner, meaning more time to make connections and establish relationships, which in the end turns into more revenue that can pay for the work of that person with more to spare. Judy offers a program called Joyful Scaling Mastermind that will become a six-month program in 2023. This program includes weekly group coaching and monthly one-on-one coaching with Judy.&nbsp; In the Fall, Judy will be unveiling a new program called Joyful Six Figures Accelerator which provides lifetime access to a group program that contains on-demand trainings and weekly group trainings.Key Points from the Episode:What Judy does and how she got thereHow Judy overcomes and adapts to challenges. Faith in oneselfScaling Hiring challengesEngagement with JudyAbout Judy Weber:Judy Weber, Esq. is setting the gold standard in business coaching for faith-based women. A Women’s Business Strategist &amp; Scaling Expert, and the Founder &amp; Host of the globally-ranked ‘Joyful Scaling’ Podcast, Judy is on a mission to normalize mega success (both impact + revenue) for high-achieving, successful faith-based female CEOs, helping them build &amp; scale their business with simplicity, using her proven Joyful Scaling Method.™ A former corporate &amp; trial attorney as well as C suite executive (General Counsel &amp; HR Director), Judy is a genius at showing faithful women how to fully embrace their faith so they can step confidently into their CEO role and think strategically, act courageously &amp; speak authoritatively. Judy helps her clients create sophisticatedly simple - yet highly profitable - businesses, while pursuing deeper faith. She is a sought-after Keynote Speaker, teaching and inspiring women across the U.S. &amp; around the world.Tweetable Moments:7:01 "Look at your faith foundation and, generally, as a person and an entrepreneur. And that will inform how you show up, what you do when you show up, and all of that."7:51 "I believe scaling is three simple steps, and it's the acronym JOY. It's...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with professional speaker and social media strategist, Ashley Ann.Ashley helps clients get paid for the work that they enjoy doing. She works with individuals or companies and has helped over 700 people make six-figure incomes with their social media accounts. Ashley’s strategies include building an audience and establishing reach organically as well as finding a balance between human interaction and automation. This is done to maintain a business and set up a system to create longevity. Ashley explains that there are only 1-3 categories of people that will understand a business or individual's message and product. These groups of people need to be focused on creating reach by identifying what they think they need, and what they actually need.Schedules for business owners tend to be quite busy and it can be hard to find the time to make a presence on social media. Ashley advises that everyone use a text community or text list because emails tend to get ignored for promotions. People are more likely to check a text message rather than an email. This connection allows for the reach to grow as an individual can promote more productively with better outcomes from the audience. Hiring an engagement team is a good way to gain media attention on an individual's behalf. It takes time for a team to learn the voice they are trying to portray. Ashley finds it beneficial to have meetings with her engagement team to modify or give points to more accurately imitate her response. Ashley advises to not always use advertisements to sell but to use them to also inform an audience. Segmentation is a way to group individuals into categories based on their needs to give them only the information they desire. Ashley utilizes this to set up a schedule of when to contact each person based on what segment they are in.Key Points from the Episode:Ashley’s impact in the worldAshley’s strategiesAshley’s advice on establishing reachFinding the time for social mediaHow to balance maintaining reach while not being a nuisanceAbout Ashley Ann:Ashley Ann also known as King Ashley Ann’s is a talented biz builder, public speaker, social media strategist, and award-winning wedding and event designer. Ashley currently travels the United States speaking to small business owners, side hustlers, wedding and event industry professionals, and those who are thinking of starting a business. Ashley is equipped with a B.A. in Finance and M.B.A. from the University of Central Arkansas. Ashley is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and an avid volunteer. She serves as a teen mentor, direct service volunteer, and domestic violence survivor. Ashley also instructs community financial literacy courses. Ashley Ann has helped over 11,000 individuals monetize their social media and over 700 people create 6 figure incomes. She has currently helped 150 people create 7-figure incomes and 9 of her clients are consistently doing million-dollar months. She has also helped over 1000 businesses generate $25K- $45K per month using Facebook and Live Stream. Ashley Ann gives free business tips and strategy classes on her Livestream Monday through Thursday. Ashley’s is based in Little Rock, AR. Ashley is known for her creative and unusual event ideas in the event world. In the business world Ashley is known for getting results, and simplifying social media, lead magnets, funnels, and CVO so that her clients achieve desired outcomes. She pays exquisite attention to every last detail in the boardroom and in the ballroom. Ashley Ann is a Google Partner, and has been featured in publications such as Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Life, CNN Money, Kontrol, MSN, Breitbart, NewBreak, Business Insider, Newsweek,...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO and Honorary Chairman of Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners, Hermann Simon.While Hermann was growing up, his father did not have an influence on the pricing of his goods. This is why he got into working with pricing and allowed him to create Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners which now employs over 1,800 people globally as well as maintaining a revenue of 522 million dollars in the year 2021. Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners is focused on pricing, gross, and profit consulting for their clients. A major point about pricing that Hermann explains to clients is the pricing value to the customer. Value and pricing are separate ideas that need to be balanced for the best outcome for the company as a whole. Another point Hermann makes is for businesses to avoid Marxist pricing. When businesses give a guarantee for their product or service it makes consumers more apt to pay higher prices as the guarantee increases the value the consumer places on it.Hermann explains that profit is the cost of survival and it is a moral responsibility for the entrepreneur to make a profit otherwise the business may suffer as well as do damage to everyone involved. There are multiple costs that go into a business such as paying employees, satisfying vendors, interest, and taxes to name a few. Hermann explains that earning before interest or taxes is not true profit, he considers true profit to be net profit. There have been many fundamental ideas that Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners has believed in but have not been able to implement until recently due to technological incapabilities. Globalization has been a fundamental idea that has grown for Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners due to the increase in international trade. Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners works within all industries, especially in Silicon Valley, as well as banks and telecommunication companies. Dynamic pricing refers to the value of pricing mixed with the basis of supply and demand. Hermann explains that dynamic pricing is influenced by technology and adjusts supply and demand better than a rigid system. Hermann advises, based on his book Hidden Champions in the Chinese Century: Ascent and Transformation, there are three pillars to the success of a business owner. The first pillar is the ambition to be the best in their market, the second pillar is utilizing focus, and the third pillar is to broadening their market through globalization.Key Points from the Episode:The impact Hermann has in the worldKey points clients are likely to hearWhy guarantees allow for the basis of pricing to changeImportance of true profitThe changes to Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners over the last four decadesTypical clients of Simon-Kucher &amp; PartnersDynamic PricingHermann’s insights from his book Hidden Champions in the Chinese Century: Ascent and TransformationAbout Hermann Simon:Hermann Simon, PhD., is a world-renowned management thinker, consultant, pricing expert, entrepreneur, and leading authority on the “hidden champions” business model. He is the founder and honorary chairman of Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners, the world’s leading price consultancy with over 1,700 employees and 42 offices worldwide. Simon is the author of 40 books in 30 different languages, including the worldwide bestseller Hidden Champions, first published by Harvard Business School in 1996.Simon-Kucher &amp; Partners is the global thought and market leader in price consulting, and Hermann is recognized as the worldwide pricing guru. His books...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and Leadership Coach of Deploy Yourself School of Leadership, Sumit Gupta.Sumit helps business owners organize themselves to the next level of success by connecting what they want to achieve to how they get there. Sumit explains many leaders are stuck with small problems or hidden desires they might not see that is standing in the way of their growth. Business owners struggle to reach out for leadership help because they don’t know when to ask for it. Sumit explains individuals with big visions or individuals that know they are stuck should talk to a coach or advisor to help get to the next step. Many business owners surround themselves with people who tell them what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. This can be a disadvantage as criticism or feedback is where growth and new ideas form. Sumit explains that reframing the criticism from negative to helpful can aid individuals in accepting this type of feedback.Sumit explains that individuals often make it too hard on themselves and simply stepping into the entrepreneurial space is winning for oneself. The achievements or failures are stepping stones on a larger journey that many people will never go on. Sumit explains that rumination is often done over things that cannot be changed and actually take an individual away from their responsibilities. While the worst case may happen, it is important to remember it is possible to come back from that and plan the next steps after it. Sumit explains his coaching consists mostly of long-term coaching that could be one leader or an entire leadership team.Key Points from the Episode:Sumit’s work and impact in the worldWhere leaders struggleWhen leaders should seek out coachingHow to overcome shielding oneself from feedbackFear manifesting into couragePerfectionismRuminationEngagement Sumit has with clientsAbout Sumit Gupta:Sumit Gupta was born and grew up in New Delhi, India, and is now based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Over the years, he has lived in multiple cities in India. In addition, he has traveled, worked along, and photographed people from all over the world.One of his superpowers is to create safety and trust so that people do not have to wear a mask in front of him. He started as a techie in 2005 and fit the typical geek profile – good at computers but introverted when it came to working with people. In a way, he had learned to hide behind computers and not be visible.He has worked in companies like InfoEdge (Naukri.com) (2005-2008), Yahoo (2010-2011), 91Mobiles (2013), and Booking (2014-2020). In addition, he also incorporated two startups – SaleRaja (from 2007-2010) and CricketRadius (in 2012) and co-founded a non-profit Pick A Fight (2011-12).He started leading a team at 24 years of age. At that time, he had no idea what leadership was all about. To make it worse, he wasn’t even aware that people management and other so-called soft skills could be learned.In 2012, he lost my mom to cancer. This event shook his world in ways he is still realizing. In a way, the old him died and a new Sumit was born that day – however, it took him a long time to realize that. In 2021, he reprioritized his life in the pursuit of Deploying Myself.Earlier, he thought the unpredictability of human beings was a bug and it used to piss him off badly. However, now he sees it as a feature. He is left in awe and wonder as he supports people in finding and shining their own unique light upon the world.People come to him feeling frustrated, low on energy, and stuck in achieving something that matters to them. They come confused and with their lights dim and...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder of Breakfast Consulting, Neil Heckman.Breakfast Consulting works with founders and business leaders during times of change. Breakfast Consulting was created as Neil saw the constant change and need for branding scopes to evolve while he worked in-house with some direct consumer brands. Neil explains that brands are experiencing change from COVID, the recession, IOS 14, and many other factors. Some businesses may experience positive change such as telehealth or virtual personal trainers due to the rise in virtual business. Other businesses may experience negative changes such as restaurants and retail due to the impending recession. The impending recession is a major change that businesses are preparing for going into the holiday season. Neil explains that funds are becoming more deliberate where they are investing their money. Businesses have learned that they may not be able to be bulletproof to the unknowns, as seen through the pandemic. However, they can reposition their business to resonate their product or service to the highest group of consumers while maintaining cost-effectiveness in selling and marketing.Neil advises businesses who are looking for investors to set their expectations higher and know they may fall short. With investors becoming more disciplined, businesses need to become more disciplined to gain the support of these investors. Neil has worked hands-on with direct consumer business during times of change which makes him unique to the consulting space. Neil also explains that he is focused on the constant evolution of a business and will work on whatever factor is the most pressing at the time. If the importance of a factor changes, he will change his approach along with it.Key Points from the Episode:What Breakfast Consulting doesChanges clients are bringing to Breakfast ConsultingMarket factorsAdvice for companies looking for investorsWhy Neil’s business is uniqueAbout Neil Heckman:Neil Heckman is a marketing professional hailing from 2 of the fastest growing start-ups of all time (Casper and Away), in addition to working with Fortune 500 brands like Verizon, Nationwide, and Johnson &amp; Johnson. Having driven more than $2B in revenue over 10 years at some of the largest, most well-known brands in the world, and also at some of the most innovative and disruptive brands in history, his capabilities are vast and the service is unrivaled. In 2021 Neil founded Breakfast Consulting to bring an experienced and nimble approach to supporting founders and entrepreneurs.Tweetable Moments:5:38 "There are different challenges depending on the industry, the period, and the specific factor at play."06:13 "The investing community has by no means dried up, but it's becoming much more structured, and I would say much more deliberate in where they're investing and, more importantly, where they're not investing."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluene.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Breakfast Consulting website at https://breakfastconsulting.com/Check out Breakfast Consulting on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/breakfastconsulting/Check out Neil Heckman on LinkedIn at <a...

On today's episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, we are so excited to speak with the founder of the podcast Grow Your Show, Adam Adams!Adam discusses the industry of podcasting and how Grow Your Show is a company that helps support podcasters through editing, post production, publishing, promotions, creating images and much more. Grow Your Show handles the back end portion of podcasting so that the host essentially doesn't have to do anything but be themselves and share their purpose.Grow Your Show enjoys helping coaches, mentors, online course creators, consultants, attorneys, masterminds, and many other industry individuals create their own podcast.Josh discusses the benefits of individuals and their organizations expanding their reach through podcasting and the network the podcasting industry provides. Josh discusses how to create triggered algorithms where your content becomes more exposed through various media sources. This includes: following, download, listen, social proofing through rating and reviews, and return listeners.Don’t forget to listen to our next episode, where we recap all the great insights that Adam Adams offered!Key Points from the Episode:Growing a Podcast TodayDirect Message CampaignsTriggered AlgorithmsAbout Adam Adams:Adam has a loyal following in the podcasting space. After selling his first podcast, he launched the Podcast on Podcasting which is ranked as a top show for podcasters. Adam is also the founder of GrowYourShow.com where they help you get your message out to the world. Grow Your Show is The Easy Button For Podcasters TM that want to have a top rated show without all the hard work. Their clients are getting ranked in the top 1% on iTunes and other top charts which means they have more influence than the other 99%.Tweetable Moments:04:42 "There are many, many ways to monetize a show. It's not just advertising and sponsorship."10:20 "We keep it short and sweet. We, it's always personal, so it's not copied and pasted. It's always personal and individualized."Links Mentioned in this Episode:&nbsp;Want to learn more? Check out Adam Adam’s website at https://growyourshow.com/Check out Adam Adams on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-a-adams/Check out Adam Adam’s on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/podcastadam/?utm_medium=copy_linkCheck out Adam Adams on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.aaa.adamsDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Owner of Carfagno Commercial Cleaning and Founder and Host of the Smart Cleaning School Podcast, Ken Carfagno.The Smart Cleaning School Podcast was started with the purpose of finding good individuals in the cleaning industry to send the public to and to give a platform to. The Smart Cleaning School offers training and membership groups for new individuals to help develop a business owner mindset and offer resources. Ken explains that when COVID hit, businesses were crushed. Some residential cleaning businesses Ken was connected to, lost around 90% of their revenue within weeks due to COVID. Ken explains that once the fear and uncertainty subsided, residential cleaning businesses, for the most part, were able to make a significant rebound in their space. However, the commercial cleaning businesses had a different experience with COVID. Some of these businesses fell completely while others grew substantially. Their growth was due to the increased need for proper disinfection practices in all areas such as business offices, government buildings, and many other spaces.Ken explains that a major aspect of starting a cleaning business is having a business owner's mindset. Communication developed interpersonal skills, and networking are all important skills to have when creating or managing a business as it determines the pull a business has in its area. Ken explains that on the Smart Cleaning School Podcast, he gives an overview of the business aspects of starting a business, specifically in Episode 260, Best Of - How to Start a Solo Cleaning Business. Ken works primarily with two different groups of entrepreneurs. The first group is solo entrepreneurs that would like a part-time side hustle or a way to get out of their current job. The second group is residential or commercial companies that are growing into larger businesses. The Smart Cleaning Tribe is a group that is designed to help individuals set and achieve goals as well as hold them accountable.Key Points from the Episode:Ken’s impact in the worldThe impact of COVID on business ownersFundamentals for starting a cleaning businessKen’s ClienteleThe Smart Cleaning TribeAbout Ken Carfagno:Ken Carfagno is the host of the Smart Cleaning School Podcast which helps cleaning professionals make the impact they were meant to make. Ken levels up cleaning business owners in growth mindset, leadership, and promotes the thought leaders in the cleaning industry through this podcast. Ken and his wife Teresa have 5 kids that they homeschool in the Philadelphia Area.Tweetable Moments:3:58 "Like, the spider web concept. Just bring them in and give them some free content. That helps them develop business owner mindset."9:09 "The number one thing is, do you have a business owner's mindset? It's without question."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluene.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Carfagno Cleaning website at https://www.c3xnow.com/Check out Carfagno Cleaning on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/carfagnocleaning/Check out the Smart Cleaning School Website at <a href="https://www.smartcleaningschool.com/"...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and Owner of Goals To Results, Dennis Riley.Dennis Riley is a business strategist that helps small business owners get efficient results by looking into data strategy systems. Dennis explains that a common issue is data not being in one place for business owners. If the data is scattered, it makes it harder to compile and more complex to refer back to when looking for results. Dennis explains that he creates a data dashboard for his clients to refer to for all of their business data to see what is working and what is not. This dashboard helps small business owners determine the problems and fix them faster than if they individually looked into every data platform. Dennis explains that he makes use of Google tools with his clients due to its ease of use. Many small business owners may not be well versed in creating a data dashboard for themselves, this is where Dennis comes in to help. Once the client has logged into all of their data platforms, Dennis will pull the necessary data and make them a dashboard that integrates it all in one place.Dennis explains that data is not the start and finish line for obtaining desired results for a business. Different aspects of the business also need to be managed such as time to ensure that time is being allotted to the correct things and making sure the less important actions are being outsourced. Dennis explains that he works with a multitude of business owners from chiropractors to graphic designers and anyone that believes they need a second pair of eyes regarding their business should look into his work. Engagement with Dennis starts with data collection, client journeys, follow-ups, and many more aspects to find where the issues are. Dennis explains that intuition can take an individual to a certain point but from there data can be used to take them further.Key Points from the Episode: Dennis’s impact in the worldAreas that commonly need the most improvement in a businessGoogle toolsResults don’t end with data collectionDennis’s clienteleEngagement with DennisIntuitionAbout Dennis Riley:Dennis is not your typical business strategist or business coach. He will roll his sleeves up and help business owners develop different strategies and systems. He will collect data and generate data dashboards for owners to see their KPIs. He builds systems that others don’t see. He always highlights his client's uniqueness and uses it to separate them from their competition. He thinks outside the box when solving a problem. He feels each problem has a solution...although it may not be the solution people want to hear.Tweetable Moments:07:51 "I talked about making chocolate chip cookies. There are ingredients, there's an oven, there are results. That's how you want your systems to be."10:26 "You have to shift the sales as well in your business. You just keep going forward. If there's rockiness around you, you have to shift with the economy."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Goals To Results website at https://goalstoresults.com/Check out Goals To Results&nbsp; on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-to-results/Check out Dennis Riley on...

1335 - Getting the Most Out of Your VA with Virtual Assistant Management's Molly Rose Speed

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and Chief Conscious Connector of DotConnect, Dom Farnan.DotConnect is a global talent advisory business that scouts and hires talent for technology businesses in the United States. DotConnect has a team of around 100 employees globally and has been around since 2019. Dom explains that DotConnect’s growth can be attributed to many areas. Dotconnect doesn’t work only with technology companies, they also have a big consumer products client that they work with now. They also have longer-term clients that are based on monthly retainers. Dom explains ghosting, not creating an optimized experience for hiring, and not understanding the talent or their values is some of the negative feedback that the recruiting space has received. The manner in which a leader comes off to their employees is what sets the stage for the work culture. Dom explains she had to do some self-reflection and work to create a better environment for her employees and that is how DotConnect has been able to grow so rapidly over the years.Dom explains that DotConnect has grown from delivering against its promise and through referrals. The value of ownership and delivery is important to DotConnect as they are able to prove their worth and obtain or retain clients this way. Luckily the staffing climate today is much different than in April 2020. Dom advises that companies that are laying employees off the need to focus on key hiring. The ideal clientele for DotConnect would be a 50+ employee strong business that is building out the entirety of its organization at any level.Key Points from the Episode:The impact DotConnect has on the worldHow DotConnect is growing faster than other companiesRecruiting Industry How Dom’s personal growth improved her businessPersonal life versus work lifeHow to grow in a tactful wayThe state of staffing todayIdeal clientele for DotConnectAbout Dom Farnan:Dom Farnan is the Founder and CEO DotConnect, where they find exceptional people for high-achieving companies. DotConnect has a team of 85 employees and has recruited from leading organizations such as the National Football League (NFL), Snapchat, Samsung Next, and Zendesk. Dom graduated early from high school and immediately started her recruitment career at the age of 17 after a neighbor got her an opportunity to work in the HR department of their organization. She went on to work for companies such as Life Technologies and BlackBerry as a senior recruiter for 10+ years before starting DotConnect. Dom is also the founder of Path Connect, a 12-week program that teaches recruiters how to better understand organizational charts and what it takes to source and vet top talent for tech organizations.Tweetable Moments:04:09 - "We give a crap about the people that we're working with. We care about their values, we care about their life, we care about their lifestyles both on the client side and the talent side."11:23 - "My vision is for one day people to actually enjoy the recruiting process."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the DotConnect website at https://dotconnectllc.com/Check out DotConnect on LinkedIn at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/dotconnect/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

1333 - Gifting Influencers with GEM's Sam Zipp

1332 - Shifting Gears in Automotive Marketing with Tecobi's Jason Girdner

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder and CEO of Waymaker, Stuart Leo.&nbsp;Waymaker is a business improvement platform that diagnoses the problems within a business, reveals growth gaps, and assists with building strategic goals. At some point, a business will hit a roadblock, not knowing where to go or what to focus on. Stuart explains that asking seven specific questions alongside strategic diagnostic software every quarter can help a business grow and reach its goals in an effective manner.&nbsp;Running a business is not typically taught in black and white through business school. Stuart explains that the default to not using this framework is when the founder starts to expand and hand over their responsibilities to new teams. This can cause problems as without knowing the way the success came about, the new teams will not be able to grow from that. Stuart explains that many executives miss the aspect of teaching individuals how to think about what they are doing. Without teaching team members how to solve problems and adapt the business to market alignment, it makes the driving force go in a negative direction. When using Waymaker, a business will get onto the app, add their team members, and answer questions. From there, the algorithm will take that information to create a strategy to better the business by looking at strengths and weaknesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Key Points from the Episode:Who Waymaker is and what they doThe default of not using a strategic frameworkWhere executives are not effective&nbsp;How Waymaker does what it doesAbout Stuart Leo:Stuart Leo is the founder and CEO of Waymaker.io - an intelligent business management platform that helps leaders build a better business in 30 days. Stuart is a global thinker in strategy, systems, and leadership development. As the founder of Waymaker.io he has led the creation of Waymaker’s Leadership Curve - a revolutionary way of building clarity, alignment and remarkable results for any organization.Tweetable Moments:01:45 - "At some point every leader, every team, every business, hits a roadblock, hits a brick wall, stalls, or just hits this moment where it's like, "I don't, we're not quite sure where to go next."10:26 - "There's only five things you've got to do as a leader. And that is, you've got to think, plan, inspire, equip and empower."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Waymaker website at https://waymaker.io/Check out Waymaker on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/waymaker-io/Check out Stuart Leo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartleo/Check out Waymaker on Facebook at https://facebook.com/waymaker.ioCheck out Stuart Leo on Twitter at https://twitter.com/stuartleoDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur.<a...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the President and Founder of Wiefling Consulting, Kimberly Wiefling.Kimberly works to make the world better by helping Japanese companies globalize. Business being done across borders helps strengthen international business relationships. Silicon Valley Alliances made its first connections through doing workshops with individuals from Japan in Silicon Valley. This connection allowed Kimberly to be introduced to a multitude of Japanese agencies. A typical engagement involves workshops for mid-level businesses to help with leadership, team effectiveness, and organizational culture.Kimberly explains that qualities of good leadership are honesty, inspiration, and forward-looking which are all behavioral qualities. There is a disconnect when the values are placed on the wall rather than actually done. Kimberly explains that transparency needs to be worked on through conversation among individuals. Kimberly’s advice for companies struggling with leadership is to understand employees need purpose over profit or to feel a sense of belonging.Key Points from the Episode:The impact Kimberly has in the worldHow Silicon Valley Alliances makes connectionsEngagement with clientsGlobal LeadershipTransparencyKimberly’s advice for companies struggling with leadershipAbout Kimberly Wiefling:Kimberly is known for her authentically scrappy style. At Hewlett Packard, she felt like a hired assassin where she prioritized projects over people. After 10 years of working in technology, she realized that technology fails far less frequently than people do. She uses her experience as a scientist and technologist to navigate and transform the messy world of organizational culture. Her superpower is helping companies achieve what seems impossible by converting common sense into common practice and bringing people with diverse backgrounds together to achieve what couldn't be done alone. Kimberly has worked with over a hundred major corporations including Yamaha Motors, Suntory, Mitsubishi, NASA, and Indeed. She has produced 6 books in her "Scrappy" brand series, including the international bestseller 'Scrappy Project Management, which continues to sell well 14 years after the original publication, was translated into Japanese, and is used as a textbook in project management courses. Kimberly is a highly sought-after speaker, and has presented in more than a dozen countries and worked with people from over 50 countries ( Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Germany, USA, China, Thailand, Zambia, UK, France, Armenia, etc.) Her personal mentor is the Lifetime Achievement Award-winning thought leader of organizational development, Dr. Edgar Schein. Her mission is to wipe out the pandemic of soul-sucking, toxic organizations so that people can be fully engaged, and contribute the highest and best versions of themselves to their work.Tweetable Moments:02:04 - "You don't read a book about exercise. You go to the gym and you work out. That's how you build strong muscles."06:42 - "The leadership challenge gives us five areas of leadership that are crucial if you want to be perceived as a great leader. And they're all behavioral. You model the way, do what you say people should do, and you inspire shared vision."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? Check out the&nbsp; Wiefling Consulting website at <a href="https://wiefling.com/" rel="noopener...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Founder of Jasmine Jonte Coaching and Consulting, Jasmine Jonte.Jasmine explains that microlearning is a very important way of taking in information today. In the age of Tiktok and Youtube shorts, there is not as much of a market for long content. The majority of audiences gravitate towards shorter content that is between five to fifteen minutes. Having a content library can be important to any creator as you can answer any questions one time and have it there to be referred to by any prospective client or viewer. Jasmine explains that in-person features, time management, and private podcasts are doing well in the market of content creation. Taking steps such as adding in-person aspects to offers, having features that are done for an individual to save time, or converting your course into a podcast are all ways to take part in these market trends.The platform a business should work with for their courses or content depends on what they are needing to grow their company. If they already have sources for websites, media, or email, there is no need for an expensive robust service. Picking a platform is also important based on the community a business serves. The target may be the older generations which would make Facebook the best option, or it could be tech-savvy millennials who use Slack predominantly. Jasmine explains that being informative about what you are teaching within each course lesson is important to give the audience an idea of what is going on. Jasmine Jonte Coaching and Consulting is a done-for-you course creation agency that helps its clients organize information for their courses by listening to them to ultimately create the course content.Key Points from the Episode:What is working well with courses todayContent librariesWhat is hot on the marketPlatformsCourse design practicesWhat Jasmine’s Jonte Coaching and Consulting doesAbout Jasmine Jonte:Jasmine Jonte helps experts turn braindumps into world-class programs! Her Done-For-You Course Creation agency takes care of everything - from the big picture promise down to the last worksheet download. They're on a mission to make learning simple and fun for 10 Million students while saving 100+ hours for every course creator they partner with!Coupling her teaching experience with business savvy and management skills, you’ll want her to do the heavy lifting when building or upgrading your online programs!Tweetable Moments:00:54 - "Now, you want microlearning. People want lessons that are 5 to 15 minutes maximum."05:30 - "If you're not meeting the expectations of the market, then you need to get there first before you kind of add on some of these sexier bonuses that take a little more bandwidth for your team to create."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Jasmine Jonte Coaching and Consulting website at https://www.jasminejonte.com/Check out Jasmine Jonte on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminejonte/Check out Jasmine Jonte on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasminejonte/Don’t...

On today's episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, we are so excited to speak with the founder of The Mogul TV Global Network and business strategist, Tameka Chapman!Tameka has built up a media brand. Her impact is focused on bringing more positivity to this world than what currently exists. She shares how in her every breathing moment she’s trying to bring positivity to everyone she encounters. As a business growth strategist she focuses on helping mainly women learn how to create, launch, and scale their businesses and has a TV Network that is all about positive programming.She talks about her background in the Navy and how that experience has helped her in what she does today. She talked about how her background has impacted how she works, how she does, and why behind doing what she does.Don’t forget to listen to our next episode, where we recap all the great insights that Tameka Chapman offered!Key Points from the Episode:Determination and VisionPower of PerseverancePositivity to InspireAbout Tameka Chapman:“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. African ProverbTapping into her gift of creativity, Tameka Chapman created the Mogul TV Global Network to offer positive television programming that showcases culture, legacy and diversity. Mogul TV Global Network is designed to be a beacon, a light and hope in the midst of chaos, depression and frustration.In May 2022, Mogul TV Global Network became an award-winning television network for Excellence in Positive TV Programming. Partnered with Roku &amp; Amazon Fire TV, Mogul TV Global App is available to over 100 million viewers!📺 Mogul TV Global NetworkWatch amazing shows, films and LIVE events &gt;&gt; theMoguls.tv &lt;&lt;Website | www.TheMogulChannel.comEmail | [email protected] ==&gt; www.linkedin.com/company/MogulMediaCoCheck out our original shows and many phenomenal shows!As we continue scaling and growing, we are seeking to connect with more amazing thought leaders and creators to build the greatest network for positive TV programming.▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️As a 7-Figure Business Growth Strategist, Tameka coaches entrepreneurs on how to scale to 7 figures in their businesses by teaching them how to recognize what isn't working, fill in the gaps with MMA (money-making activities), then teaching them HOW to effectively strategize and create their million dollar businesses! #LaunchLikeAMogul with Mogul DominationIf you're seeking the RIGHT strategy that allows you to sleep at night and enjoy your days as an entrepreneur, schedule a 30-minute consult and get started on creating your legacy! Of course, there's an investment with every call resulting in you having your next best step to success. #AllStrategyNoFluffhttps://go.oncehub.com/MogulDomination▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️Are you seeking a speaker who will energize your audience and empower them into action? Book Tameka Chapman as a speaker for your next event! With speaking topics that range from a perseverance mindset to business growth strategies and entrepreneur startups, your audience will always walk away with a plan to turn their ideas into income streams!▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️Tameka Chapman is a US Navy Veteran, Television Producer, Record Holder Author, #1 International Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Global Speaker, former Paralegal Specialist [15 years] and 7-Figure Business Growth Strategist to some amazing entrepreneurs! When she is not busy in her multiple roles as the CEO of Mogul Media, LLC, she is fully enjoying life with her husband of 23+ years and the awe-mazing toddler duo Aspen + Arden!Tweetable Moments:04:51 - "If you don't have the determination to stick it out, especially through obstacles that you don't know is going to...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Real Estate Investor and Coach of Wealth Building Concierge, Tamar Hermes.&nbsp;Staci advises that anytime is a good time to invest in real estate. However, it is an interesting time today to invest due to the shift in the market bringing about new opportunities. Staci explains that the best avenue for real estate investment is different from person to person and can depend on factors such as portfolios, connections, and lending. Connection to investments and returns is quite rare as many individuals are trying to understand their positions and make a profit off of them.&nbsp;Staci explains that women are more cautious when it comes to risk which allows for advantage once mitigating risk has been learned. Real estate has a large focus on connections and relationships where women excel at due to being nurturers as biology suggests. Staci explains that buying your first property may have to take place in a different state based on the cost to gain ratio. Low loans are helpful as individuals usually only have to put 3% down to obtain their first home. Partnerships and passive investment resources are other avenues to get started if an individual does not want to go into it alone or put all their time into it.Key Points from the Episode:Why now is the time to look into real estate&nbsp;Avenues of investment&nbsp;Connection with returns&nbsp;Advantages to the feminine perspective&nbsp;Real estate investment scenarios&nbsp;How to work with TamarAbout Tamar Hermes:Tamar Hermes is a Los Angeles native, who has lived in San Francisco, New York City, and Rome over the years. She holds a B.F.A. from Pitzer College in Film/Fine Arts and studied Art and Art History at The American University of Rome, Italy. After years of building successful companies and working in creative roles, Tamar decided to dedicate her life to art, particularly the art of portraiture. Her mission is to spread a love and appreciation of portraiture and watch how it enriches the lives of others. Her varied experience gives her a unique talent for curating portraiture that captures the essence of the subject and the heart of the viewer. Tamar believes that personal art is the best gift one can give or get as it decorates one's life visually, spiritually and emotionally.Tweetable Moments:03:07 - "It's a matter of realizing what the opportunity is in real estate, which is that you can build wealth, that you can have passive income..."05:35 - "If you don't have time, which is a huge resource. Also, a huge question that we need to ask ourselves as entrepreneurs, because time keeps getting away from us. So one of the things that you can do is there is to invest passively."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Wealth Building Concierge website at https://wealthbuildingconcierge.com/Check out Wealth Building Concierge on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealth-building-concierge/Check out Tamar Hermes on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-hermes-53b9114a/Check out Tamar Hermes on Facebook...

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the CEO of Fueled by Fire Mastery, Staci Wallace.Staci has worked in corporate business and ministry for much of her life. She explains that money can only drive an individual so far and there needs to be a cause behind the work that is being done. Fueled by Fire helps raise up CEO’s, entrepreneurs , and thought leaders to help them identify their sweet spot to build a profitable purpose driven business. Fueled by Fire has an ascension model that ranges from free public work to higher ticket work with their platinum program. Staci has witnessed all levels of business development during her time in corporate America. Staci advises to make sure to put yourself in a good place mentally because it will determine where you go professionally.Staci explains that the great resignation can be partially attributed to uncertainty within a business. Many employees do not feel certain that the company they work for has their back or has the best ideals in mind, leading them to resign. This shifting in the job market has caused many individuals to start their own business. Staci explains that they help new business owners understand their potential and big business owners reduce resignation possibilities. Staci explains that she wrote her book Fueled by Fire to help guide women in the business space. Businesses have to do more to stand out today than in the past due to the high level of competition in every industry. Staci explains that being value driven, having good team culture, and understanding their target market is how businesses can stand out with their business.Key Points from the Episode:Staci’s impact on the worldEngagement with clientsStaci’s backstoryMental focus and uncertaintyStaci’s book Fueled by FireStanding out as a business todayAbout Staci Wallace:Staci Wallace is a leading expert in the field of business psychology, growth hacking, and personal life mastery. With over 35 years of corporate and entrepreneurial success, her signature 1% Method of Micro-Progress has led to 9-figure success and supporting hundreds of thousands of small business start-ups. Whether on stage or online, Staci uses her unique “warrior” story of miraculous physical and financial breakthroughs to teach other business leaders how to turn setbacks into monumental comebacks. In 2021, Staci and her husband, Larry, left their corporate Senior Executive positions in telecom to become CEO and COO of the Fueled by Fire Mastery Program and Elite Mastermind for CEOs, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs building purpose-driven, highly profitable, and faith-based lives and businesses they love. On top of all this, their passion for giving back has fueled their non-profit organization EMwomen, which rescues and restores the lives of women and girls who have gone through some of life’s most difficult challenges.Tweetable Moments:04:12 - "I really that believe that's what makes a great CEO is you're willing to do more for others than you're expecting them to do for you."13:21 - "People are working less for money and more for something that puts meaning into their life."Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur:https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out the Fueled by Fire Mastery website at https://fbfmastery.com/Check out Staci Wallace’s website

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Leadership Coach and Strategic Advisor of Quiet Advisory, David DresslerOne of David’s starting business ventures was in the restaurant industry with Tender Greens. They worked to create a stable and good environment for workers as the restaurant industry can have a rough culture behind it. David explains that through working in the restaurant industry, he and his partners learned how not to be to their team members. They decided they would be whatever the team members needed such as a guiding hand or dad figure to promote interdependent relationships within the business.&nbsp;David advises that working with everyone in a business and having a conversation about building a better business is something all industries could take from the restaurant industry. Strategy is an important aspect of business, however, culture can determine how well a strategy can operate. David explains that having a better work culture can help make the strategies work much better for a business. In many businesses, they will present their work culture in one way publicly and in a completely different way internally. David explains that when employees can agree with how the culture is perceived publicly, that is a positive for the business. However, many times employees disagree with how the culture is perceived as it is not accurate to how they are treated. David explains that conversation aids in honesty and transparency within a company because it gives an idea of what needs to be improved in a company. Quiet Advisory works with clients in many industries such as manufacturing, law, and restaurant industries. David explains he works with them in two primary ways as either a leadership coach to aid his clients as a whole or as a culture coach for the entire team of a business.&nbsp;&nbsp;Key Points from the Episode:David’s impact in the world&nbsp;Restaurant cultureLessons from the restaurant business that could aid other industriesThe balance between strategy and cultureThe hypocrisy of culture&nbsp;&nbsp;Honesty and transparency&nbsp;Who and how clients are worked with at Quiet AdvisoryAbout David Dressler:David Dressler grew up in Montreal, Canada. From the age of six, he spent his summers in benign indentured servitude, washing dishes, hauling suitcases, and pouring coffee at his family’s hotel in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. At 18, he moved to Switzerland to study hotel and restaurant administration at the Ecole Hôtelière in Lausanne. Forming connections with fellow students from over 40 countries, he happily shared the cost of gas and travel throughout Europe. His catering pay financed “educational tours” of North Africa and Asia. After completing the 4-year program, Dressler moved to California and joined Hyatt Hotels. In his 4 years with Hyatt, he worked every conceivable food and beverage management position before moving to New York to open the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Street. He soon became the Four Seasons’ go-to career guy, in key markets such as Dallas, Beverly Hills, Carlsbad and Newport Beach. After falling in love with the woman who would become his wife of 20 years, Dressler decided to plant roots in California. It was there, as Director of Operations at Santa Monica’s famed Shutters on the Beach, that he met and befriended his future business partners. The three restaurant professionals, close in age, tired of the rat race, and ready for an adventure, left Shutters in 2004. After cobbling together $900,000 in friends and family seed money in 2006 they opened their first Tender Greens restaurant in Los Angeles. Over the next decade, the partners built a market-defining, heart-centered,...