ProfitSchool
An unfiltered conversation between two veteran entrepreneurs and agency owners highlighting the decisions you'll need to make in your business.
info_outline
Writing Books: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
07/01/2025
Writing Books: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast, Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Writing Books: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Mercer and Jeff discuss the evolving landscape of book authorship, particularly in light of advancements in AI, contrasting traditional publishing challenges with new opportunities. Jeff shares insights from writing his book, "Service Stacking," highlighting the importance of a clear, focused framework as the core idea rather than a broad topic. The hosts emphasize that successful business books typically present a proprietary framework that readers can understand and apply. A key takeaway from Jeff's experience is the necessity of dedicating significantly more time to book promotion than to its writing. Mercer and Jeff explore how AI can streamline the book-writing process, from initial research and outline generation to editing and ensuring continuity. The hosts propose an "audience-first" strategy for future book projects, involving testing concepts and hooks with small, iterative outputs like 30-page PDFs, before fully developing a book.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/37112725
info_outline
Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel?
06/24/2025
Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel? Mercer and Jeff define the sales funnel in terms of awareness levels, progressing from unawareness to problem awareness, solution awareness, and finally product awareness. Jeff outlines a B2B sales funnel with distinct phases: impression, lead, qualification, pitch/proposal, purchase, and onboarding. AI significantly enhances the "impression" stage by transforming long-form content, such as podcasts or client calls, into short, digestible social media clips for broader reach and increased engagement. AI tools streamline lead capture by helping to create intelligent lead forms and automate processes for gathering contact information and initial permissions from prospects. AI assists in the qualification process by helping to establish clear business rules and criteria for ideal clients, automating aspects of prospect assessment to ensure a better fit. AI empowers the "pitch and proposal" stage by generating presentations, proposals, and even guiding pricing decisions, helping users overcome perfectionism and iterate faster.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36749295
info_outline
Podcast Marketing for Growth
06/17/2025
Podcast Marketing for Growth
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Podcast Marketing for Growth Mercer and Jeff examine podcasting as a growth strategy, differentiating between hosting a personal podcast and appearing as a guest on others. The hosts emphasize that podcasts effectively warm up an audience, acting similarly to webinars by introducing new concepts and building brand familiarity over time. Jeff notes that podcasting functions as an "at-home version of brand building," scaling relationship development more efficiently than traditional in-person networking events. Mercer highlights the value of targeting niche podcasts, stressing that reaching a smaller, highly relevant audience can be more effective than aiming for broad, mainstream shows. The discussion identifies "customer media marketing" as a significant benefit of podcasting, enabling deeper audience relationships through consistent content creation. Mercer and Jeff suggest practical approaches for securing podcast appearances, including direct outreach, networking, and leveraging AI for research and pitch generation.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36749380
info_outline
Automation First: Pros and Cons
06/10/2025
Automation First: Pros and Cons
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Automation First: Pros and Cons Jeff and Mercer emphasize that successful automation requires a clearly defined, repeatable process before any building begins. Initially, Jeff viewed automation negatively, associating it with spam and a lack of human involvement, but now recognizes its necessity and value when a human element is retained. The hosts highlight the "never too late to automate, but sometimes it's too soon" principle, stressing the importance of manually proving a process before automating it. Mercer and Jeff outline a nine-part automation framework, beginning with strategic planning to define the desired result, the business process, and feasibility before any technical implementation. The discussion stresses that the "build" phase, which many mistakenly start with, is the fifth step in their framework, occurring after thorough planning and technical blueprinting. A key benefit of strategic automation is the creation of reusable "Lego bricks" or interchangeable parts, allowing for easier maintenance and scaling of complex automation workflows.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36728435
info_outline
Building a Culture of Accountability
06/03/2025
Building a Culture of Accountability
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Building a Culture of Accountability. The discussion centers on establishing a "culture of GUSTO" within a business. Jeff and Mercer define "GUSTO" as a framework for team members to operate effectively, emphasizing self-driven action and focus. The framework aims to be more impactful than traditional mission or vision statements, which often become "placards on the wall". "GUSTO" is an acronym: Good enough to get going (G), Use the system to improve the system (U), Speed to result (S), Trust but verify (T), and Out with the trash (O). The hosts explain how these principles foster a proactive environment, encouraging action over perfectionism and continuous improvement. The episode concludes by illustrating how an AI-first approach can integrate seamlessly with these "GUSTO" principles, enhancing efficiency and removing bottlenecks.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36687745
info_outline
AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics
05/27/2025
AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics Jeff and Mercer explore how AI tools can refine and improve service-based businesses' sales processes. The hosts discuss using AI to qualify leads, create compelling sales copy, and analyze customer interactions. They emphasize that AI can help identify ideal clients and determine the best strategies for attracting them. The conversation highlights AI's ability to streamline tasks, automate outreach, and personalize communication with potential clients. Mercer and Jeff stress combining AI insights with human skills to build strong client relationships. The episode concludes by noting AI's potential to empower even those who don't consider themselves natural salespeople.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36575845
info_outline
Breaking Bottlenecks In An AI-First Business
05/20/2025
Breaking Bottlenecks In An AI-First Business
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Breaking Bottlenecks In An AI-First Business Today’s discussion centers on identifying and eliminating bottlenecks within an AI-first business framework. Bottlenecks can exist even in AI-driven companies, often stemming from limiting beliefs or organizational structure. The conversation highlights the relevance of capability and capacity in pinpointing bottlenecks. They note AI's potential to significantly enhance both capability and capacity within a business. Mercer and Jeff discuss practical strategies, such as using loom videos to delegate tasks effectively. The episode concludes by advocating for a shift toward AI-first thinking to streamline processes and boost efficiency.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36386295
info_outline
Using AI Agents As Your Copilot
05/13/2025
Using AI Agents As Your Copilot
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Using AI Agents As Your Copilot. The discussion centers on utilizing AI agents as a business partnership. The hosts emphasize the changing definition of AI agents, from individual bots to AI-driven tools and behaviors. Using AI agents to access specialized knowledge, such as that of a copywriter or analyst. Jeff and Mercer address the debate about the longevity of AI agents and whether they should be integrated into broader AI models. Using AI agents to enhance team member capabilities and avoid additional hiring. The episode concludes by noting the importance of providing feedback to AI agents to improve their effectiveness.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36353605
info_outline
The Art of Using AI For Feedback
05/06/2025
The Art of Using AI For Feedback
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is The Art of Using AI For Feedback. The discussion centers on effectively utilizing AI in the feedback process. Jeff and Mercer stress the significance of being open to feedback to facilitate improvement, regardless of where it comes from. AI's capability to provide objective, data-driven feedback is key, as it can aid in better decision-making. The hosts introduce the concept of creating AI-driven "digital twins" of customers or team members to gain valuable feedback and insights. AI’s ability to analyze data and identify patterns to provide unique perspectives in feedback scenarios is a key takeaway. The episode concludes by considering the necessity of blending human judgment with AI capabilities for optimal feedback implementation.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36292335
info_outline
Visionary Leadership In AI-First Businesses
04/29/2025
Visionary Leadership In AI-First Businesses
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Visionary Leadership In AI-First Businesses. The insights shared center on the role of visionary leadership in businesses that prioritize AI. Mercer and Jeff emphasize the importance of providing direction in a world where many seek clarity. Their exchange explores the idea that early adoption of AI necessitates a visionary approach to navigate uncertainties. Main points discussed center on the role of visionary leadership in businesses that prioritize AI. They discuss tactical ways to integrate AI in business, such as AI show-and-tell and reverse engineering success through AI. Mercer and Jeff's analysis further discusses the importance of defining the desired outcome rather than focusing on the process of prompting AI.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36291735
info_outline
Can AI Build Your Brand?
04/22/2025
Can AI Build Your Brand?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Can AI Build Your Brand? Explore the central debate: Can AI build a brand, or is human input essential? Understand the argument that AI tools can assist in brand building, even if they can't fully automate it. Learn how to use AI to streamline content creation, from initial topic ideas to script drafts. Consider incorporating your unique voice and expertise when using AI-generated content. Examine the potential trade-off between AI efficiency gains and brand authenticity maintenance. Discuss creating a "digital twin" to help AI better capture a brand's voice and style.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36071410
info_outline
AI Tactics You Can Implement Today
04/15/2025
AI Tactics You Can Implement Today
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is AI Tactics You Can Implement Today. Discover practical ways to prompt AI for better results, including having AI refine your initial prompts. Learn how to get AI to understand the intent behind your requests, leading to more valuable outputs. Explore the concept of "ping pong prompting" and how it can help you achieve unexpected breakthroughs with AI. Understand why refining AI-generated content through multiple iterations is essential for optimal outcomes. Learn how to use AI to quickly summarize large amounts of information, improving your decision-making process. See how to leverage tools like NotebookLM to create personalized learning experiences and extract key insights from various sources.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/36055490
info_outline
Game OVER. Game ON!
04/08/2025
Game OVER. Game ON!
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Game OVER. Game ON! The old ways are over. It's time to embrace the new reality of AI and how it's changing the game. AI isn't just a tool, it's your new teammate. Learn how to effectively collaborate with AI to achieve remarkable results. Stop thinking about effort, start thinking about results. AI can handle the heavy lifting, so you can focus on what truly matters. The future of work is independent and exceptional. Discover how AI reshapes the employment landscape and what it means for you. Embrace abundance and focus on the physical world. AI can unlock a future where we have more time and resources to pursue our passions. It's time to level up your thinking. Mercer and Jeff share actionable strategies to adapt to the AI-driven world and thrive in the new game.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35573330
info_outline
Should You Become An AI-First Business?
04/01/2025
Should You Become An AI-First Business?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Should You Become An AI-First Business? Discover why becoming an AI-first business is crucial in today's rapidly evolving landscape. Learn how AI can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency across various business functions. Understand the importance of effectively managing and interacting with AI as a valuable team member. Explore the potential impact of AI on the future of work, including the shift towards a gig economy and the emergence of new specialized roles. Gain insights into the limitations of AI and the importance of human oversight and intellectual capital. Learn practical strategies for successfully integrating AI into your business operations and staying ahead of the curve.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35543520
info_outline
Handling Tension On Your Team
03/25/2025
Handling Tension On Your Team
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Handling Tension On Your Team. Identifying Tension: Mercer and Jeff discuss various signs of tension within a team, such as missed deadlines, unmet expectations, and individuals feeling nervous about their roles. The Importance of Setting Clear Expectations: They emphasize clearly defining results and expectations to reduce tension and ensure everyone is working towards the same goals. Accountability and Commitment: The hosts stress the need for team members to take accountability for their work and commit to achieving results, rather than simply focusing on completing activities. Leadership vs. Autonomy: It’s crucial to balance providing autonomy and demonstrating leadership to guide team members and address performance issues. Embracing Tension: A certain level of "good tension" can be beneficial, pushing individuals to grow and improve their skills. The Role of External Perspectives: Seeking out external groups and perspectives can help teams break out of their comfort zones and identify areas for improvement.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35479445
info_outline
Executive Assistants - Do You Still Need One?
03/18/2025
Executive Assistants - Do You Still Need One?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Executive Assistants - Do You Still Need One? Executive Assistants (EAs) vs. Systems: The hosts revisit their differing opinions on the necessity of EAs in today's business world, considering the rise of AI and automation. The Changing Role of EAs: They discuss how the traditional tasks of an EA, such as scheduling, email management, and travel booking, are increasingly being automated or replaced by systems. Capability and Capacity: Jeff and Mercer explore matching tasks with team members based on their skills and available time to optimize workflow and eliminate the need for a dedicated EA. The Value of Defined Processes: Both stress the importance of clearly defining processes and systems as it allows for more straightforward automation and eliminates the need for an EA to "fill the gaps." AI as the New EA: The hosts propose that AI and automation tools effectively become the new "executive assistants," enabling individuals to accomplish more efficiently. Evolving Roles and Opportunities: The conversation concludes by acknowledging that while the traditional EA role may diminish, the skills and knowledge of individuals who previously served as EAs remain valuable and can be utilized in other organizational capacities.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35461890
info_outline
Social Media Strategies for 2025
03/11/2025
Social Media Strategies for 2025
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Social Media Strategies for 2025. Discover why a results-oriented approach is key to social media success. Learn to define your desired social media outcomes and identify your current results. Understand the importance of using existing content to fuel your social media machine. Explore strategies for creating a consistent social media presence without burning out. Learn how to leverage AI to optimize your social media content and strategy. Gain insights into building a two-tiered social media system that combines brand building and direct response.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35334310
info_outline
How Smart is AI, Really?
03/04/2025
How Smart is AI, Really?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is How Smart is AI, Really? Discover why focusing on AI's "smartness" might be the wrong approach. Learn why "usefulness" might be a better metric for evaluating AI's capabilities. Understand the importance of user interaction in maximizing AI's potential. Explore the concept of "game over, game on" and its relevance to adapting to AI. Learn how to effectively communicate with AI by focusing on desired results, not specific steps. Discover the potential impact of AI on various aspects of life, from work to personal growth.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35284430
info_outline
How to Increase Prices Gracefully
02/25/2025
How to Increase Prices Gracefully
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is How to Increase Prices Gracefully. Learn how to increase prices gracefully without losing customers. Understand the importance of clear communication and transparency when raising prices. Explore the impact of price increases on different buyer modalities. Discover strategies for mitigating customer resistance to price hikes. Gain insights into successful price increase strategies used by companies like HubSpot and Canva. Learn how to implement a "reverse flash sale" to incentivize customers to buy before prices go up.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35253180
info_outline
The Power of Buying Modalities
02/18/2025
The Power of Buying Modalities
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is The Power of Buying Modalities. Discover the definition and significance of buying modalities in the sales process. Learn about the four key buying modalities: competitive, spontaneous, methodical, and humanistic. Understand how each modality influences buyer behavior and decision-making. Find out how to identify and target different buying modalities in your marketing efforts. Explore the importance of tailoring your sales approach to resonate with each modality. Gain practical tips and strategies for optimizing your sales process to cater to diverse buying preferences.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/35252855
info_outline
MeasureU - The Origin Story
02/11/2025
MeasureU - The Origin Story
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is MeasureU - The Origin Story. Jeff and Mercer share how they transformed two successful brands, MeasurementMarketing.io and DataDrivenU, into a unified platform called MeasureU. The merger initially started with cross-selling products between brands, but customer confusion over multiple logins and support systems prompted a need for consolidation. Their experience launching ProfitSchool on the Circle platform served as a testing ground, proving the viability of a unified community-based approach. Instead of forcing one brand to dominate, they created MeasureU as a fresh entity, incorporating the best elements from both original brands while adding new features. The transition happened gradually, starting with new courses on MeasureU, allowing them to test and refine the platform with a small group before full implementation. The new brand structure enabled additional revenue streams, simplified customer experience, and created opportunities for partnerships and expansion that weren't possible with separate brands.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34881450
info_outline
Mergers and Partnerships - Our Perspective After 12 Months
02/04/2025
Mergers and Partnerships - Our Perspective After 12 Months
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Mergers and Partnerships - Our Perspective After 12 Months. After 12 months of partnership, Jeff and Mercer share honest insights about their business merger, including the importance of pre-partnership relationships and testing compatibility through smaller projects. They emphasize how specialization has been key to their success, with clear divisions of responsibility allowing each partner to lead in their areas of expertise while remaining flexible in overlapping domains. Both partners acknowledge the challenging learning curve of their first year, including managing expectations, having difficult conversations, and creating new systems that work for everyone. The transition from individual thinking ('I') to collective decision-making ('we') proved essential, with both partners learning to understand and respect each other's perspectives. Creating a new brand rather than merging existing ones helped establish a fresh culture that combined the best elements from both partners' previous experiences. Continuous communication and expectation adjustment are crucial to maintaining a healthy partnership.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34866530
info_outline
Extending the Sales Window
01/28/2025
Extending the Sales Window
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Extending the Sales Window. Extending the sales window involves creating multiple opportunities to connect with qualified prospects rather than limiting yourself to a single interaction or offer. Jeff and Mercer discuss how early communication should qualify prospects' interest, intent, and ability before moving to close, treating each step as a mini-sale. When prospects hesitate, successful salespeople step back, address specific objections, and reframe their offering to match the client's needs and comfort level. Strategic follow-up sequences, no-buy surveys, and regular check-ins help maintain relationships with prospects not ready to purchase immediately. Redirecting prospects to more suitable solutions builds trust, even if less profitable, and often leads to stronger long-term client relationships. The duo reminds us to maintain an abundance mindset rather than desperately pursuing every potential sale, focusing instead on creating sustainable client relationships.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34800405
info_outline
How to Qualify a Sales Prospect
01/21/2025
How to Qualify a Sales Prospect
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is how to Qualify a Sales Prospect. Sales qualification protects both your time and the prospect's time by ensuring you're working with clients who are truly ready and able to benefit from your services. Early-stage businesses may need fewer qualification steps to gain experience, but mature businesses should implement stricter qualification processes to maintain profitability. Effective qualification examines four key areas: the prospect's interest in solving their problem, their intent to move forward, their ability to implement the solution, and mutual agreement on deliverables. Warning signs of poor qualification include high rates of ghosting after sales calls, frequent price objections, and constant scope creep from clients. Pre-qualifying tools like application forms or brief surveys help filter prospects before investing time in lengthy sales calls, improving close rates from 30% to potentially 50-75%. A well-designed qualification process helps redirect unsuitable prospects to more appropriate solutions while maintaining professional relationships that may lead to future opportunities.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34785405
info_outline
Building DOP Systems
01/14/2025
Building DOP Systems
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Building DOP Systems. DOP Framework: Jeff and Mercer explain their system framework - Define (strategy), Organize (tactics), and People (management) - as essential components for effective business systems. System Evolution: They share how systems should remain at 90% completion, allowing room for continuous improvement through feedback and adaptation. Team Integration: Rather than relying on dedicated project managers, effective systems become embedded within the entire team's workflow. Self-Correction: Good systems include built-in mechanisms for identifying and correcting issues, with team members naturally enforcing proper usage. Practical Application: They describe how they reorganized their Offers system based on time rather than Products, demonstrating how systems can evolve to serve their purpose better. Growth Process: Systems should start simple and grow naturally, avoiding the common mistake of creating overly complex processes that hinder rather than help.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34427765
info_outline
Goals for 2025
01/07/2025
Goals for 2025
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Goals for 2025. Top of Funnel Focus: Mercer and Jeff outline plans to strengthen their marketing presence through YouTube channels, aiming for 20,000 subscribers for MeasureU and 5,000 for ProfitSchool. Product-Led Marketing: They emphasize creating marketing content directly from their products, ensuring authentic value delivery while maintaining high production standards. Brand Evolution: MeasureU will expand from pure analytics to broader marketing optimization, while ProfitSchool will build out its product catalog and coaching programs. Team Development: Moving from founder-focused to team-led operations, with staff taking ownership of content creation, coaching, and system improvements. Systems Refinement: Maintaining systems at 90% completion to allow continuous improvement, while encouraging team members to create and teach systems to others. Market Expansion: Plans to reach broader audiences by reframing their offerings - MeasureU focuses on marketing improvement through measurement, and ProfitSchool addresses growing freelancers and established team managers.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34427730
info_outline
End of Year Recap
12/31/2024
End of Year Recap
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is End of Year Recap. The Original Plan: Jeff and Mercer share their initial 2024 merger strategy: Q1 for internal combination, Q2 for public announcement, Q3 for ProfitSchool focus, and Q4 for expansion. Revenue Reality: Starting with an ambitious $1.8M target, they adjusted expectations to $1.1-1.2M as the year progressed, learning valuable lessons about realistic goal-setting. Quarter Progression: They outline the year's journey: Q1 (combination), Q2 (integration), Q3 (simplification), and Q4 (unlocking new opportunities). Brand Evolution: The creation of MeasureU emerged as a solution to managing multiple brands, bringing together their separate strengths under one unified vision. Key Learning: Supporting multiple brands and systems created unnecessary complexity; simplification led to better results and easier operations. Future Growth: The year's challenges and solutions created a stronger foundation for future growth, with streamlined systems and clearer direction for both brands.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34412740
info_outline
Handling Conflict - I to We
12/24/2024
Handling Conflict - I to We
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Handling Conflict - I to We. From I to We: Jeff and Mercer share how they transformed personal perspectives ("I") into collaborative solutions ("We"), using their experience of merging separate brands into one unified company. Understanding Different Views: They explain how conflict often stems from different but equally valid perspectives, like their contrasting approaches to using "I" versus "We" in business communications. Market Feedback: External customer feedback helped guide internal decisions, showing how market response can help constructively resolve internal conflicts. Conflict as Process: Rather than viewing conflict as negative, they present it as a natural process where two different viewpoints or forces meet, creating an opportunity for growth. Growth Through Discussion: The hosts share how their perspectives make each other's ideas "10-20% better" through constructive disagreement and resolution. Solutions Focus: Instead of trying to prove who's right, they recommend focusing on the situation and finding common ground to create new, better solutions.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34395315
info_outline
How to Price Your Products
12/17/2024
How to Price Your Products
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is How to Price Your Products. Supply and Demand: Mercer and Jeff explain how pricing isn't just about charging more - it's about understanding market dynamics and finding the right balance between supply, demand, and profitability. The Profit Formula: They share a practical approach to pricing: calculate your costs, double it for unexpected issues, then multiply by 3-4x to create the necessary margin for marketing, taxes, team bonuses, and business growth. Value Communication: Price is a conversation between your company and the market about value exchange. Success comes from helping clients understand and agree with the value you provide. Market Alignment: Different markets expect different price points - the same service might need to be priced 10x higher for enterprise clients versus small businesses, simply because of market expectations. Recurring vs. Project Pricing: The benefits of recurring revenue models over one-time project fees, including the ability to recover from initial setup costs and build long-term profitable relationships. Price Increase Strategy: The importance of graceful price increase communications, with real examples of both successful and unsuccessful attempts at raising prices with existing clients.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34246395
info_outline
Keeping Great Team Members
12/10/2024
Keeping Great Team Members
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Keeping Great Team Members. Beyond Happiness vs. Engagement: Jeff and Mercer discuss how managers shouldn't focus on making employees "happy" (which they can't control) but rather on creating an engaging environment where team members can thrive and grow naturally. The Growth Factor: The key insight is that people stay with companies as long as they learn and grow. Creating an environment of continuous growth and development is crucial for retention, more than just high compensation. The Abundance Mindset: Success in retaining talent comes from adopting an abundance mindset rather than a scarcity mentality. This includes investing in team members through training, coaching, and professional development opportunities. Building the Inner Circle: Bringing valuable team members into the decision-making process and teaching them to think strategically helps create lasting engagement and loyalty, especially in small businesses where individual contributions matter more. Recognition and Results: The importance of celebrating successes publicly while handling challenges privately, creating an environment where team members feel supported even when facing difficulties. Investment in People: Mercer and Jeff believe investing in team members through education, bonuses, recognition, and growth opportunities is crucial for long-term retention, especially in smaller businesses where institutional knowledge is vital.
/episode/index/show/a4f19b48-c8ce-4d56-ac5e-c6ad30efea1f/id/34075756