Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
This podcast is for aspiring entrepreneurs and technologists as well as those that want to become a designer and implementors of great software solutions. That includes solving problems through technology. We look at the whole skill set that makes a great developer. This includes tech skills, business and entrepreneurial skills, and life-hacking, so you have the time to get the job done while still enjoying life.
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Know Your Audience For YouTube Growth
11/30/2023
Know Your Audience For YouTube Growth
We continue our discussion with Andrew Murdoch and delve into how you will grow best when you know your audience. He mentions the well-known avatar approach. However, he mentions the level of detail we need to have. This is not a synopsis of a few sentences. Instead, it is a multi-page character and lifestyle assessment. Once we know our avatar enough to write a short biography (or e-book), we are ready to work with him. The growth will be worth the effort. Our Target Grows Once We Know Our Audience Our focus on our best or ideal customer forms the bull's eye of our target. However, that is not our sole focus. Like a game of darts, we are happy to hit near the bull's eye regularly. That is where the YouTube algorithms kick in and form a type of magnet that draws in the audience we truly need. Think of it as a funnel that draws our customers to that center spot. There is no coincidence that sales often refer to a funnel. About Andrew Andrew founded YT Era, a full-service YouTube marketing solution for businesses and entrepreneurs, after reaching a low point in 2018 and discovering the transformative power of YouTube content. At rock bottom, he turned to YouTube videos for self-improvement and succeeded in boosting his mindset, finances, and health. Today, YT Era amplifies the world’s most prominent solutions by changing how businesses and entrepreneurs do marketing. Andrew helps entrepreneurs clone themselves to explode their awareness, credibility, authority, reach, influence, and sales by ALWAYS putting their viewers first! Learn More From Andrew: http://ytforbusiness.com/ YouTube marketing can be overwhelming for any business. So, he created an online course that walks you through the entire process step by step. He teaches building a YouTube channel that brings actual results to your business and not just views.
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Be Intentional In Choosing Tasks For Career Growth
11/28/2023
Be Intentional In Choosing Tasks For Career Growth
We fill much of our free time with projects and side hustles that can be tasks for career growth. However, they require us to be intentional. We should have a to guide us through the skills and experiences we see as important to us. The fun tasks will often be on our list of things to do. Nevertheless, there are tasks we need to see as stepping stones to success that should be in the back of our minds when choosing that next project. The Best Tasks For Career Growth In the world of marketing and excitement, people often throw around the "10X your blah" phrase. While advancement may not be that fast, there are activities we can pursue that contribute more to our career growth than others. The tasks gain us experience and credibility, knowledge, and do so in more than one area. The world of software development is full of these. It is rare for us to have a situation where we are learning a new technology and not also solving a problem. While the problem may be similar to one we have solved before, it is still new and adds to our experience. Our resume can grow by leaps and bounds when we are intentional in how we pursue tasks and projects. The Big Picture The challenge I have seen most often for software developers is looking at the big picture. Yes, you can easily identify a new technology or environment to add to your resume. On the other hand, it can be a struggle to look at the type of problem you are solving or the approach in a non-technical light. There is a lot to be gained by working with a new type of team, in a new role, or even coming in at a different point in the SDLC. These are all additions to a task that can help you grow quickly and advance on your career roadmap. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about choosing projects and clients for growth. Here are some links to refresh your memory.
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Thankful Over Worry
11/23/2023
Thankful Over Worry
It is Thanksgiving in the States and a good time to talk about the benefit of being thankful over worry. This may seem like just another positivity pile of crap. However, it is not. There is a lot to be gained by taking this approach, and it has more to do with overall health than confirmation bias. Real Benefits of Choosing Thankful Over Worry We can all point to how anything we think becomes what we are more attuned to. A simple test of thinking of a blue car and then suddenly feeling like they are everywhere can confirm it. Of course, there is also . It is sort of like the difference between a frown and a smile. More than either of those is the momentum we have, whether from a negative or a positive situation. Whichever result we last experienced, we will be more likely to expect that the next time. If you doubt that, it is worth spending a little of your Holiday time searching some of the research around our attitudes. A Day Will Not Hurt Even if you want to argue that it is safest to expect the worst, one day will not kill you. Take a day and choose to look at the bright side. Count your blessings and bask in how your life could be much worse. There are very few of us who literally have nothing worse that could happen. If nothing else, be thankful you have the physical and mental capacity to read (or listen to ) this post and the accompanying podcast. No matter what your attitude is, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for spending time with us. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Prepare For Your Retrospective
11/21/2023
Prepare For Your Retrospective
It is time once again for our . Yes, it is that time of year when we pause and reflect a bit on how to prepare for your retrospective. This year, we will start the week with an admonition to assess the year gone by. We are dwindling down to the end of 2023 and now is the best time to review what we accomplished during that span of time. Thankful For A Retrospective? You may ask why we would use the week of Thanksgiving to talk about how to prepare for your retrospective of the year. It comes down to one thing, Holidays and travelling are perfect for such times. We have some time where we can allow our mind to drift a bit while going over the year gone by. That is an excellent way to address the hard facts of what was accomplished while dreaming (as it were) about what we can do better in the year ahead. This is an activity that requires a little freedom of thought rather than a hard list of bullet points to asddress. Look Back To Look Forward Retrospectives have a . However, we need to give them the proper respect to get that value out of them. That includes spending time thinking about how things could have gone differently. Thus, we assume you will do an annual retrospective as part of planning for the year ahead. It is far more difficult to create a plan from scratch tan it is to build on one we have already executed. That holds true even when we had obstacles and failures as part of our prior execution.
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Leverage YouTube For Marketing And Brand Growth
11/16/2023
Leverage YouTube For Marketing And Brand Growth
We start a new discussion in this episode and look at how Andrew Murdoch teaches us to leverage YouTube for marketing and brand growth. This is a channel for content that can not be ignored. It is too big and too valuable for our pursuit of customers. It is built to draw in like-minded viewers. Therefore, a consistent message and useful content from us can skyrocket our growth. Lessons Learned About Using YouTube For Marketing And Brand Growth Andrew has personal experience as a user of YouTube that led to his focus. He walks us through how the algorithms work in the favor of those who create entertaining content. Likewise, he experienced how the platform guides viewers to similar material and products. It is a marketeer's dream. Once we build a brand and draw a few people to it, we can grow it exponentially. This does not require ads. However, it does require high-quality content that keeps people coming back for more. About Andrew Andrew founded YT Era, a full-service YouTube marketing solution for businesses and entrepreneurs, after reaching a low point in 2018 and discovering the transformative power of YouTube content. At rock bottom, he turned to YouTube videos for self-improvement and succeeded in boosting his mindset, finances, and health. Today, YT Era amplifies the world’s most prominent solutions by changing how businesses and entrepreneurs do marketing. Andrew helps entrepreneurs clone themselves to explode their awareness, credibility, authority, reach, influence, and sales by ALWAYS putting their viewers first! Learn More From Andrew: http://ytforbusiness.com/ YouTube marketing can be overwhelming for any business. So, he created an online course that walks you through the entire process step by step. He teaches building a YouTube channel that brings actual results to your business and not just views.
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Consistency And Momentum: Keys To Success
11/14/2023
Consistency And Momentum: Keys To Success
In this special topic episode, we examine how consistency and momentum are foundational attributes for success. Neither of these items is listed at the top of the keys to success. However, we see them pop up time and again in examples and processes to march towards success. Therefore, it is worth exploring how we can get them in place for our project, brand, or company. A One-Two Punch Of Consistency And Momentum Expectations are an essential part of any relationship. We have discussed in the past how that can build trust and lead to a lifelong customer. Consistency and momentum work together to get us there. Those early steps in a consistent manner have a momentum that helps us build habits and other critical processes. The things that seem big and insurmountable early on become second nature as momentum builds, and they become a part of the daily routine. One Step At A Time It all comes down to one step at a time. We can not magically jump to the end and have a big success with the stability that comes from building over time. That is why we so often see a flash-in-the-pan success that comes out of nowhere but then is quickly lost in history. They did not build the momentum and strength that comes from consistent work over time. Fortunately, each step gets easier as we build momentum towards our goals. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about these key factors of success. They apply for a blog, podcast, or other business launch. Here are some links to refresh your memory.
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Better AI Prompts For Improved Efficiency
11/09/2023
Better AI Prompts For Improved Efficiency
We continue our discussion with Ali Abassi and dig into the value of better AI prompts and how they helped him turn a toy into a tool. Chat GPT is something many have experimented with. Ali did the same and used it to help him generate copy for his marketing blurbs. However, it was not much help. He still spent roughly the same amount of time putting his content together. Better AI Prompts Improve Your Results That is where he started to work on building better AI prompts and asking for refined results. His process helped him turn Chat GPT into a useful tool rather than an avenue for entertainment. He has used that knowledge and experience to map up numerous solutions for business. Whether you are a pastor needing a sermon or a developer that needs a code snippet, he has a series of steps to help you get the most out of your AI experience. These uses and so many more are available on his site for free and more than worth your time to see how AI can work for you. About Ali He is the founder of AI for Work. That is a platform that helps knowledge workers use Chat GPT to work smarter, faster, and perform better at their jobs. He created AI for Work to share his passion and vision for the future of work with AI, automation, and AI agents. He gives everything away for free, including 2000+ prompts, workflows, tools, and educational resources. As a result, he has received hundreds of positive feedback messages from users who say that AI for Work has helped them save thousands of dollars, launch businesses, and reshape their work. He also provides consulting to companies looking to automate processes, leverage AI, and grow their business. Previously, he was the Director of Marketing at Grace & Stella. While there, he helped grow the businesses by over 100% and secured multiple partnerships with the largest beauty subscription boxes. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Capilano University. Finally, he is an award-winning seller and finalist of the Great Canadian Sales Competition.
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Commitment And Consistency In Building Your Brand
11/07/2023
Commitment And Consistency In Building Your Brand
We look at how commitment and consistency are critical factors in the eventual success of your product, service or brand. It is not uncommon for someone to start on a new endeavor only to bail out before they see any of it pay off. That is the same whether you are embarking on a new diet or a new business. There have been discussions on past episodes that highlight the kind of time and planning that must go into your side hustle and business launch to give them a chance of success. Avoid Being A One Hit Wonder Through Commitment And Consistency We can all think of a one hit wonder we have come across. However, our memory is often vague and fuzzy. We may not remember the artist, author, or other details. There is some catchy part of the experience that makes it a one hit wonder or fad and then it faded. That may be suitable for some people but a business needs to be more sustainable. We are not looking for one successful month or quarter and then let it die. That is the same for a product or a service. It is not enough to do one thing one time and then be done. We need to build a solution that has an on-going value and reliability. Commit To Building A Reliable Track Record Our customers want to see a track record and we provide that through regular delivery. A track record can not be built with a random delivery schedule or spotty history. No one wants to order a product where the delivery window requires us to take a whole day off of work and then worry we missed the one minute the delivery occurred. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about the commitment and consistency needed for a blog, podcast, or other business launch. Here are some links to refresh your memory.
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AI For Work - Ali Abassi Interview
11/02/2023
AI For Work - Ali Abassi Interview
This interview has a focus on using AI for work. We chat with the founder of the site, , Ali Abassi, and cover the latest hot topic. The story begins with how he got the idea for the site. It is a classic story of someone who had an itch they scratched. They then turn that solution into something others can benefit from. The Genesis Of AI For Work The beginnings of his site can be found in the common use of AI for content generation. He used it to help build copy for his marketing job. However, the time savings did not come right away. Ali had to craft his prompts better. That is where the value started to show. However, he did not stop there. He saw how smart prompt usage could provide a benefit to anyone who wants to leverage the Chat GPT service. About Ali He is the founder of AI for Work. That is a platform that helps knowledge workers use Chat GPT to work smarter, faster, and perform better at their jobs. He created AI for Work to share his passion and vision for the future of work with AI, automation, and AI agents. He gives everything away for free, including 2000+ prompts, workflows, tools, and educational resources. As a result, he has received hundreds of positive feedback messages from users who say that AI for Work has helped them save thousands of dollars, launch businesses, and reshape their work. He also provides consulting to companies looking to automate processes, leverage AI, and grow their business. Previously, he was the Director of Marketing at Grace & Stella. While there, he helped grow the businesses by over 100% and secured multiple partnerships with the largest beauty subscription boxes. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Capilano University. Finally, he is an award-winning seller and finalist of the Great Canadian Sales Competition.
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Answer Or Solution - Serving Your Customer
10/31/2023
Answer Or Solution - Serving Your Customer
This episode of the podcast turns to how we approach our customers and whether we are providing an answer or solution. There are important differences between these two. In the first case, we are just providing a starting point. There can be many answers and even correct answers may not be feasible. That means they are not useful to your customer. Are You Providing An Answer Or A Solution A solution is more than an answer. It is an answer that the customer can use to solve their problem. That should always be our focus. Not only should we aim for a solution, we should seek the best solution for their situation. An answer is not enough. Thus, we need to dig into the problem and the questions they ask. When we accept their definition and descriptions at face value we do them a disservice. Instead, we should ensure we have a clear view of the problem, the context, the constraints, and any other details that can help us offer a true solution. That includes when we determine the best solution is something another vendor needs to provide. We must not limit our solutions to only what we are capable of when we know better. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about their stories as coaches or how they learned from one. Check out these links to learn more or connect with some potential coaches. https://develpreneur.com/building-a-saas-solution-interview-with-tim-branyan-of-truefanz/
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Master Fulfillment To Create The Happiest Customers
10/26/2023
Master Fulfillment To Create The Happiest Customers
We dig deep into customer satisfaction as we continue a discussion with Drake Nightenhelser and look at why we should master fulfillment. When you think about it, that is the step that is most critical. That is where we deliver on our promise, whether it is a product or a service. The customer will be most attuned to how they feel at that moment or at that time. Master Fulfillment And Find Success It is surprising how often a business or vendor ignores this critical moment. How would you react to a wedding where the moment they say I do, they mess it up? Likewise, what tone is set if the first kiss is botched? The fulfillment moment is what the customer has been waiting for. It is when we can most emphasize the positives of delivery or negate the happiness. Look no further than Apple for this mastery in their approach to . About Drake Drake is a Client Quality Consultant who helps business owners land better clients and level up their business to be more attractive to high-quality people. He aims to embrace the win-win situation when a company and customer match perfectly. Customers are willing to pay more for the maximum benefit they receive from the product or service. He points out the tough decisions that must be made to achieve success. There will be customers (even some that pay well) that we will turn away to achieve the greater good. Ready to get crystal clear on how to start landing great clients? This training walks you through 3 of his juiciest secrets for landing amazing clients. The ones that are a uniquely perfect fit for your business.
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Embrace Coaching To Advance Your Career
10/24/2023
Embrace Coaching To Advance Your Career
Of the many tools we have discussed, one that can not be overlooked is how to use coaching to advance your career. This option is one where we must sometimes embrace how little we know. Likewise, use a coach as a way to find guidance and someone to walk with us through our career journey. They provide a second viewpoint and one that is experienced and critical in the best way. Invest In Coaching To Advance Your Career We can not learn if we do not put ourselves in a learning environment and mindset. Thus, you will not stumble into coaching to advance your career. Instead, you need to be intentional in your decision to work with a coach. You may have a mentor guide you, but a coach is much more focused and direct. They will be there to push you and point you to how you can grow. It is a much more active relationship than most mentors. However, there are some cases where it is impossible to distinguish between the two. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about their stories as coaches or how they learned from one. Check out these links to learn more or connect with some potential coaches.
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Avatars And Best Buyers - Interview With Drake Nightenhelser
10/19/2023
Avatars And Best Buyers - Interview With Drake Nightenhelser
We start a conversation with Drake Nightenhelser to offer timeless advice about avatars and best buyers and their role in an ideal business. Every business has a niche of ideal customers and does best when those are the ones it serves. However, we can get side-tracked by a desire to increase revenue without fully considering the consequences. Avatars And Best Buyers There are several names for the process of defining who our target market is. That often is limited to avatars and best buyers or a similar name. However, we must look further out than these ideal customers to land them. Our net will be rather broad, and then we must learn how to say no to the prospects that will not be a good fit. The best companies look for ways to refine their message to attract the best customers and turn away the "window shoppers." When we achieve that goal, we can best use our resources. The customers we retain get better service from us. Likewise, those turned away can find a better fit for their needs. About Drake Drake is a Client Quality Consultant who helps business owners land better clients and level up their business to be more attractive to high-quality people. He aims to embrace the win-win situation when a company and a customer are a perfect match. Customers are willing to pay more for the maximum benefit they receive from the product or service. He points out the tough decisions that must be made to achieve success. There will be customers (even some that pay well) that we will turn away to achieve the greater good. Ready to get crystal clear on how to start landing great clients? This training walks you through 3 of his juiciest secrets for landing amazing clients. The ones that are a uniquely perfect fit for your business.
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Overcoming Adversity On Your Way To Success
10/17/2023
Overcoming Adversity On Your Way To Success
Every story of success often appears to have a point where overcoming adversity was a key to that eventual success. In this episode, we review lessons learned through past interviews and how we can all become that story of success despite the obstacles. Perspective is critical when we try to compare the challenges faced by ourselves to those seen by others. Overcoming Adversity Is Something We All Do We can be a glass half-full or glass half-empty person. That attitude can be the difference between overcoming adversity and curling up in a ball, waiting for the world to end. Okay, that may seem a bit extreme. However, the right attitude and the desire to succeed even through difficulties is a common thread through the stories we have heard. Yes, they had some significant setbacks. Yet, they still found a way to put one foot in front of the other on the way to a story of success. Opportunity Instead Of Obstacle There is an old trick to wording adversity that has almost become cliche. We can view obstacles and challenges as opportunities to grow and learn. While this may seem overly optimistic, it is also entirely accurate. There is a lot of value in the idea that the things that do not kill us make us stronger. Like it or not, that is a valid way to look at experience. We have seen and beaten challenges, so we can be confident that the next challenge can also be overcome. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about their stories and overcoming adversity. Here are some episodes worth reviewing to motivate you.
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Ramping Up Your Skills Through Broad Experience
10/12/2023
Ramping Up Your Skills Through Broad Experience
We continue our discussion with fractional CTO Brian Childress and dig into his career journey for tips on ramping up your skills. He did not start out with that goal. However, his journey included several key positions and roles (as well as decisions) that helped him advance. We look at how sometimes that step into the uncomfortable is the one you need to advance to the next level. Quick Paths For Ramping Up Your Skills If there is one, the shortcut for advancement is to push yourself continually. That includes taking some risks and getting out of your comfort zone. Yes, those sound like just a bunch of buzzwords. However, they broadly describe his journey. There will be jobs and roles that are new and a bit scary. They are not beyond your ability. On the contrary, these are the opportunities to grow skills and experience. About Brian Brian is a husband, father, technologist, and avid adventurer. As a technical advisor with a strong background in software engineering, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, he is experienced in helping CTOs and CEOs make the right technical decisions for their organizations. He understands the challenges that leaders face when it comes to technology. That's why he takes a pragmatic approach, focusing on delivering tangible results that impact business performance. By leveraging his deep understanding of the technology landscape and his experience working with startups and established organizations, he can provide valuable insights and guidance that help drive strategic decision-making. Check out His Website This is his website. From here, listeners can read more about the topics he focuses on, subscribe to his newsletter, connect with him on social media, or email him.
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Take Your First Step - Start Today For Success
10/10/2023
Take Your First Step - Start Today For Success
This episode is a look back at some of the best advice for being successful, and we focus on taking your first step. The best plans are still just plans until you execute them. Therefore, every project and goal must move from the planning to the implementation phase. Yes, thinking about your steps can be a step in itself. However, one must ensure that an action is progressing towards the goal, not simply marching in place. Determine Your First Step When you are unsure of how to proceed and struggle with writer's block, work on an outline. Examine the problem and the solution or the starting point and the goal. The next step is to break down the "from A to B" into milestones or progress that will need to be made. This may include organizing thoughts, designing a solution, building a foundation, bringing in helpers, or other tasks you know need to be done. These low-hanging fruit tasks can give you things to do when you are struggling for specifics to make progress. The Title Page There is a joke about writers where they start their book with a title page and author line. While that may seem a trivial step, it is a first step. The smallest step can be critical to get us going. However, we do need to follow with a second step. An outline is an example. The author could write down some character names or key points they want to make. A product can start with a rough sketch or home page, or stream-of-consciousness items that are features or requirements can be a great momentum builder. Do not underestimate what this step can do for your motivation and ability to dive into that project or goal. Useful Interviews We have had more than a few guests talk about how to get started. Here are some episodes worth reviewing to motivate you.
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What Is A Fractional CTO? An interview with Brian Childress
10/05/2023
What Is A Fractional CTO? An interview with Brian Childress
We start a new interview and sit down with Brian Childress to answer the question, what is a fractional CTO? Well, we cover far more than that. However, we start at the beginning and look at what he does as a fractional CTO, why it matters, and the benefit of bringing one aboard Sounds Great! What Is A Fractional CTO? In short, a fractional CTO (or any fractional position) is not much different from being part-time. The benefits of bringing on a C-suite role part-time are covered in our discussion. However, cost, political capital, and practicality can all factor in. There are many things a fractional can do that are difficult and costly for one in the position full-time. You can even leverage a fractional to vet and hire for the permanent job. About Brian Brian is a husband, father, technologist, and avid adventurer. As a technical advisor with a strong background in software engineering, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, he is experienced in helping CTOs and CEOs make the right technical decisions for their organizations. He understands the challenges that leaders face when it comes to technology. That's why he takes a pragmatic approach, focusing on delivering tangible results that impact business performance. By leveraging his deep understanding of the technology landscape and his experience working with startups and established organizations, he can provide valuable insights and guidance that help drive strategic decision-making. Check out His Website This is his website. From here, listeners can read more about the topics he focuses on, subscribe to his newsletter, connect with him on social media, or email him.
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It All Starts With Your Why
10/03/2023
It All Starts With Your Why
We start a new season and format with a look back at the interviews where we discussed your "why" and its importance. That has been a theme in several podcasts and blog articles over the years. However, it is one that we need to keep in mind at the beginning, middle, and end of our pursuits. We need to answer this question about our products, careers, brands, and relationships. Your Why Is Essential To Almost Every Decision It can seem so simple. However, we often skip ahead or forget this crucial step. A journey is not the travel from point A to point B. It also involves why you want to go to that destination in the first place. When the route becomes difficult or a detour is required, we must keep our goal (the "why") in mind. Otherwise, we can end up drastically off course or even fail to reach our destination. The question is not just a general thing we need to answer. We need to examine it and understand it at a deep level. That intimate knowledge will serve us when we must alter course or tackle an unforeseen event. Think of it like a sport where there is a goal line. Even in the midst of chaotic plays, you either keep the goal in focus or can set yourself back. Useful Interviews Here are a few episodes to review for excellent discussions of using your "why" to find happiness and success. Sometimes, your definition of success will come entirely from your "why."
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Embrace FeedBack For Better Teams
09/28/2023
Embrace FeedBack For Better Teams
The second part of our discussion with Phil Alves takes us into designing an environment where we embrace feedback and use it for growth. is often key to successful teamwork, and feedback is the most important thing we can communicate. That is how we learn that our approach is wrong or can be improved. We can sit back and watch others. However, the active participation of feedback takes out the guesswork. Improvement Follows When We Embrace Feedback Our discussion takes us through improving as a developer and as a team. We can improve in both areas when we embrace feedback and build a culture that desires that level of communication. A close look at high-performing cultures and organizations almost always shows that the members are comfortable with communicating and receiving feedback. It is almost like learning on the job. Our co-workers instruct us, and we provide the same for them. This interaction not only helps us learn faster but it also builds trust within the team. The members become more comfortable discussing their challenges, and growth becomes a part of the team rather than a competition. While this can occur only among team members, it is best when the organization takes this approach from the top to the bottom. Clear communication and feedback help make everyone better. About Phil Phil is a product and engineering leader. He has led the build of 100+ software products, working closely with hundreds of SaaS Founders. The list includes SaaS products for his use, bootstrapping founders, VC-funded fast-growing startups, and big enterprises like ADP, Box, and the US Ski Team. Check out His Products DevSquad is a bootstrapped, profitable, ~90-person boutique consulting firm specializing in strategizing, designing, and developing SaaS products. DevStats helps SaaS Founders and Engineering leaders measure what matters to increase velocity and improve development teams' ability to get things done.
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Code Reviews Make Better Developers - Interview With Phil Alves
09/26/2023
Code Reviews Make Better Developers - Interview With Phil Alves
We start a conversation in this episode with Phil Alves and cover a lot of ground, including why code reviews make better developers. Phil has a unique development approach as a self-made developer who grew a software development company. His experience and personal growth, as well as translating that to a company, provide us with many improvement gems. This is one of those episodes where it is helpful to take notes. Code Reviews Make Better Developers We can always start with a statement like code reviews make better developers and find ways to defend it. However, this discussion digs into why these actions improve us as developers and as a team. Phil breaks down some of the key benefits of working in a team and how that can help our career whether we stay with the organization. About Phil Phil is a product and engineering leader. He has led the build of 100+ software products, working closely with hundreds of SaaS Founders. The list includes SaaS products for his use, bootstrapping founders, VC-funded fast-growing startups, and big enterprises like ADP, Box, and the US Ski Team. Check out His Products DevSquad is a bootstrapped, profitable, ~90-person boutique consulting firm specializing in strategizing, designing, and developing SaaS products. DevStats helps SaaS Founders and Engineering leaders measure what matters to increase velocity and improve development teams' ability to get things done.
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Online Communities and Marketing
09/21/2023
Online Communities and Marketing
We continue our discussion with Anne Laffin and cover big-picture topics like online communities and marketing. The suggestions and impact often blur into building a brand. However, that is an essential step in getting your message to the correct people. She shares her experience with us so we can reach our ideal customers and those who most need our product or service. The Value Of Online Communities And Marketing Consistency and message are critical pieces of the brand establishment puzzle. These factors of our approach can go a long way in establishing us in the way we desire. In a similar fashion, the establishment of online communities and marketing go hand-in-hand. We can build a form of captive audience but one that has self-selected their way in. About Anne She is a marketing problem solver, strategist, and content creator who helps entrepreneurs and founders grow and amplify the inspiring work they bring to the world. Her 'in the trenches' mentality comes from a 20-year marketing career working with various companies. They were large and small (including start-ups) in the market research, tech, financial services, and animal health industries. In 2020, she started "Fin Marketing" (the name plays off her last name and love for water). It is a marketing consultancy for early-stage start-ups. However, long before any of those things happened, she received a B.A. in Communication from Villanova University and an M.S. in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University. Get In Touch Check out her website: You can book a consultation and gain more insight from her experience and skills.
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Introduction To Market Research - Interview with Anne Laffin
09/19/2023
Introduction To Market Research - Interview with Anne Laffin
This episode is an interview that is also an introduction to market research. Anne Laffin takes us through several recommendations and common misconceptions. We start our discussion with some background and then quickly get into the meat of the conversation. She has an extensive experience with start-ups that is a perfect match for your next venture. An Introduction To Market Research For Non-Marketeers Our discussion is not only an introduction to market research but one that anyone can follow. She breaks down standard marketing approaches into steps that are easily understood. Thus, you can take her advice and map it to your current strategy to examine your next steps. That can help you find the best approach to getting your product or service in front of the customers best suited for the offering. About Anne She is a marketing problem solver, strategist, and content creator who helps entrepreneurs and founders grow and amplify the inspiring work they bring to the world. Her 'in the trenches' mentality comes from a 20-year marketing career working with various companies. They were large and small (including start-ups) in the market research, tech, financial services, and animal health industries. In 2020, she started "Fin Marketing" (the name plays off her last name and love for water). It is a marketing consultancy for early-stage start-ups. However, long before any of those things happened, she received a B.A. in Communication from Villanova University and an M.S. in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University. Get In Touch Check out her website: You can book a consultation and gain more insight from her experience and skills.
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Organization Security Tips and Tricks
09/14/2023
Organization Security Tips and Tricks
In this episode, the conversation with Evgenihy Kharam continues into more detail, and he offers several security tips. You can often take these actions today, personally, or in your organization. They are easy-to-understand recommendations that will probably sound familiar. That is the frustrating part of cybersecurity. The most effective ways to approach security are well-known and quick to enact. Security Tips That Are Easy To Enact We have a larger footprint than we generally think in the modern world of technology. Even people with little to do with technical solutions can have dozens of passwords and secure websites they interact with. That can add up to a time-consuming amount of work for these security tips. However, we can start with a step in the right direction today and soon will find ourselves following all of the best practices and feeling far more secure online. About Evgeniy Evgeniy is a cybersecurity professional who has had the opportunity to spend more than 40,000 hours providing pre and post-sales support as an architect and principal consultant in various technologies. Evgeniy has worked with medium to large enterprise-level customers ranging in size from 500 to 100,000 employees. He is very passionate about cybersecurity technology, vendor relationships, and architecture. Thus, he believes in connected infrastructure, a significant need for vendor consolidation, and the ability for security control to integrate and share information. He brings much knowledge about VAR, MSSP, and technical pre-sales. As a result, Evgeniy has become proficient in speaking on most cybersecurity technical domains. The domains include Endpoint, Security, Network Security, SIEM/SOC/SOAR, SASE/SEE, VMS, and Cloud Security, to name a few. Get In Touch Check out his podcast: He talks about cybersecurity, architecture, and cyber inspiration.
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Secure Your Organization - Interview with Evgeniy Kharam
09/12/2023
Secure Your Organization - Interview with Evgeniy Kharam
We start a new conversation with Evgenihy Kharam and look at how to secure your organization. He has spent decades refining his approach to security and counseled countless others in that area. We start with his journey to his current position and then discuss how he has seen security awareness and the related areas change over the years. Use Common Sense To Secure Your Organization There are many ways for hackers to go after your organization. However, it does not require technical genius to secure your organization. Most steps you can take that will have a substantial impact are well-known and common-sensical. For example, we all know we should avoid simple and repetitive passwords. Yes, it may take some effort to track random passwords for all of your accounts. However, there are easily accessible tools to make that a non-issue. About Evgeniy Evgeniy is a cybersecurity professional who has had the opportunity to spend more than 40,000 hours providing pre and post-sales support as an architect and principal consultant in various technologies. Evgeniy has worked with medium to large enterprise-level customers ranging in size from 500 to 100,000 employees. He is very passionate about cybersecurity technology, vendor relationships, and architecture. Thus, he believes in connected infrastructure, a significant need for vendor consolidation, and the ability for security control to integrate and share information. He brings much knowledge about VAR, MSSP, and technical pre-sales. As a result, Evgeniy has become proficient in speaking on most cybersecurity technical domains. The domains include Endpoint, Security, Network Security, SIEM/SOC/SOAR, SASE/SEE, VMS, and Cloud Security, to name a few. Get In Touch Check out his podcast: He talks about cybersecurity, architecture, and cyber inspiration.
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The Value Of A Good Morning Routine
09/07/2023
The Value Of A Good Morning Routine
We continue our discussion with Shaunna Lee and self-care by diving into her morning routine and how it helps her start the day right. Her morning tasks are not surprising when you look at high-performing individuals. However, we explore them and how to embrace them as our own. In particular, we talk about journaling and how to start that daily writing habit. These activities have many benefits, and we touch on them as well. Start The Day With A Strong Morning Routine Each day, we get to start the day. That means we can work on our morning routine daily and adjust as needed. Everyone is different in their rhythms and how they are most productive. Therefore, it is helpful to start with a plan and then assess how it impacts your day so you can change as it suits you. For example, you might not be an early riser or find writing too stressful. You might also find some tasks are better off at the end of the day. A common variable is when a person puts together a daily task list. Some like to do it first thing in the morning, while others prefer it as a task at the end of the day. Each approach has pros and cons, but find the one that works best for you. About Shaunna She is here to leave the world prettier than she found it - one heart at a time. Thus, she founded this business to help clients navigate life after loss. She achieves this by helping people find their passion and purpose. Then, she shows them how to monetize it. She uses various modalities to create a customized wellness plan. They set intentions and manifest success & empowerment. She offers one-on-one coaching, writes books, and hosts two very different podcasts. She does all this to help her clients Align with who they truly are. Get In Touch Check out her workshop: Align - 45 minute workshop. The method to find your very own mind/body/spirit balance. This is the key to getting into the creative flow, tapping into your inner wisdom, and creating the best version of yourself at the start of each day.
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Self-Care For High Performers - Interview With Shaunna Lee
09/05/2023
Self-Care For High Performers - Interview With Shaunna Lee
Our interview with Shuanna Lee explores her story and touches on self-care for high performers. However, the self-care tips and suggestions work for anyone. You need not be a high performer to benefit from this discussion. On the other hand, Shaunna's story is an excellent example of how even someone "too busy" can (and should) take time for self-care. Self-Care For High Performers Is Critical It is no secret that higher-performing people and machines must focus on the details. A slight change in the right place can make a big difference. For example, a high-performance race car can win or lose a race based on the quality of the tires. Likewise, self-care for high performers is even more critical than for those who are "average" in their pursuits. The human body can only take so much, and when you push its limits, you must treat it right. The consequences can reduce performance and stop you dead in your tracks. About Shaunna She is here to leave the world prettier than she found it - one heart at a time. Thus, she founded this business to help clients navigate life after loss. She achieves this by helping people find their passion and purpose. Then, she shows them how to monetize it. She uses various modalities to create a customized wellness plan. They set intentions and manifest success & empowerment. She offers one-on-one coaching, writes books, and hosts two very different podcasts. She does all this to help her clients Align with who they truly are. Get In Touch Check out her workshop: Align - 45 minute workshop. The method to find your very own mind/body/spirit balance. This is the key to getting into the creative flow, tapping into your inner wisdom, and creating the best version of yourself at the start of each day.
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High-Performing Culture
08/31/2023
High-Performing Culture
We continue our interview with Tanika De Souza of High Octane Teams and discuss how she has created a high-performing culture. Meanwhile, she provides many excellent ideas that have served her well in building out an organization comprised primarily of remote and off-shore workers. Some say culture is impossible in such a situation. However, she proves them wrong and gives us examples we can follow. Building A High-Performing Culture The core piece of Tanika's approach is respect for those who work for her. She treats them well, provides them with useful training, and they develop into excellent employees. Her approach brings the best back to her, and her reputation precedes her. However, the best part about how she built a high-performing culture is that there is nothing complicated. You can take some of these steps today and build your team or organization into one that people want to work for and with. About Tanika Tanika is the CEO of High Octane Teams (HOT) - She started her first business in 2009 and grew it to over 100 employees. HOT is an offshore staffing agency focused on systemizing your process to streamline growth. Her virtual staff is trained to create SOPs, systemize your business processes, and report KPIs for their department. She has extensive knowledge and expertise in hiring and managing teams. Get In Touch Use this link to book a free consultation. You can also visit her website: "highoctane.team," to learn more about her organization and offshore options.
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Using Offshore Teams and Resources - Interview With Tanika De Souza
08/29/2023
Using Offshore Teams and Resources - Interview With Tanika De Souza
Our focus shifts to using offshore teams and resources as we start a new interview with Tanika De Souza of High Octane Teams. The first part of our discussion goes into how one can embrace offshoring. Then, we follow her journey into creating a company that specializes in that. We talk about some of the concerns, and she answers questions often asked about whether offshoring is good for you. Using Offshore Teams and Resources - A Crash Course Tanika takes us quickly through the pros and cons of using offshore teams and resources. Anyone considering (or that has considered) using these types of resources must go into it with a plan and understanding of your part in the partnership. She outlines a lot of great positives in these relationships while offering caution to ensure you get the most out of it. On the other hand, you can always reach out to her for expertise and guidance in building your remote team. About Tanika Tanika is the CEO of High Octane Teams (HOT) - She started her first business in 2009 and grew it to over 100 employees. HOT is an offshore staffing agency focused on systemizing your process to streamline growth. Her virtual staff is trained to create SOPs, systemize your business processes, and report KPIs for their department. She has extensive knowledge and expertise in hiring and managing teams. Get In Touch Use this link to book a free consultation. You can also visit her website: "highoctane.team," to learn more about her organization and offshore options.
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Build The Life You Want And Never Work Again
08/24/2023
Build The Life You Want And Never Work Again
We wrap up our discussion with Jay Aigner with a deep dive into how you can build the life you want. Yes, it is within reach. His schedule is packed with what he wants to pursue and a full-time job. However, the secret to all of this is managing time so the full-time job does not eat up every minute of every day. Thus, there is intention required as well as an understanding of your likes and dislikes. Build The Life You Want Starting Today There are activities in everyone's life that can be curtailed, outsourced, or even skipped. That is where the true changes begin. For example, Jay talks about the life-changing choice of hiring a COO and realizing he could connect customers to technicians rather than do the job himself. Subsequently, those steps freed him up and pushed him to focus on areas where he brings the most value. However, this is not some magic only a few can master. Jay shows us we can follow his lead and do the same. About Jay Jay is the CEO of JDAQA, a software testing agency with around $2M ARR. He is a father of 5, a student pilot, and an amateur astrophotographer. His 5 for 5 (5 am wake up, workout, stretch, meditate, and journal) has been something friends, family members, and fans of his podcast have keyed on as something they really appreciate. It is a great way to start each day in a productive way. He also hosts a podcast called "The First Customer." That is where he interviews successful founders about how they got their first customer. He has been featured on several podcasts and is a great guest. His family is also currently being featured in a documentary about time management and successful people. Keep an eye out for more from Jay in the future. Get In Touch Check out his site to learn more: Check out the company he has grown from a one-person consulting firm to a $2M ARR software testing agency. It is an excellent way to motivate yourself to take that next step.
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Starting A Project-Based Business - Interview With Jay Aigner
08/22/2023
Starting A Project-Based Business - Interview With Jay Aigner
We start a new interview with Jay Aigner about launching a project-based business. He started with a need to earn some extra money and grew into a multi-million dollar organization. A form of modern-day rags-to-riches story. Except, it is real life and not some children's story. A Project-Based Business From Scratch The promise of using a site like or to build a business instead of just a side hustle may not seem achievable. However, Jay walks through his early days and how he grew from one project at a time into a steady income and finally a business with employees. If you pay attention, there are also several time-management tricks and suggestions he touches on. About Jay Jay is the CEO of JDAQA, a software testing agency with around $2M ARR. He is a father of 5, a student pilot, and an amateur astrophotographer. His 5 for 5 (5 am wake up, workout, stretch, meditate, and journal) has been something friends, family members, and fans of his podcast have keyed on as something they really appreciate. It is a great way to start each day in a productive way. He also hosts a podcast called "The First Customer." That is where he interviews successful founders about how they got their first customer. He has been featured on several podcasts and is a great guest. His family is also currently being featured in a documentary about time management and successful people. Keep an eye out for more from Jay in the future. Get In Touch Check out his site to learn more: Check out the company he has grown from a one-person consulting firm to a $2M ARR software testing agency. It is an excellent way to motivate yourself to take that next step.
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