The Growth Lab by LOCALiQ

Sometimes growing your business can feel like a never-ending experiment! The Growth Lab podcast by LOCALiQ delivers formulas and strategies from interviews with the biggest minds in business to help get YOUR business growing. Not only do we bring the FUN, but you'll also get a downloadable 'Lab Notes' with every episode with key takeaways AND question prompts to help you get out of your head and into ACTION!

Demystifying SEO with Rob Frost-Dean 10/08/2019

Demystifying SEO with Rob Frost-Dean Andre and Tracy are in Dallas today talking with Rob Frost-Dean. Rob is part of the LOCALiQ team and is the director of SEO services. Rob works directly with clients and manages the team that helps them with their SEO campaigns. We get so many questions and find that there is so much confusion about SEO that we’re really happy to have Rob here today to help shine a light on the world of SEO. Before joining ReachLocal in 2015, Rob was the director of Professional Services at SearchDex, an SEO agency that is headquartered in Dallas. Rob has over 20 years of business experience in diverse work sectors including journalism. Rob helps demystify SEO and explain what it encompasses. He also shares some of his SEO success stories helping local and small businesses. We also learn a few quick tips that you can implement in your SEO strategy. Show Notes: [08:14] Rob began working in journalism. He was very interested in design and interaction with people. This led to web development and IT support. [09:17] He's worked in a number of fields and lived in a number of cities. [09:39] Rob was working for an SEO agency in Dallas and ReachLocal asked him if he was interested in working with them. [11:47] SEO should be looked at as part of a comprehensive strategy. [12:29] We really have to understand what the people are looking for and make sure everything from the website to the business listings to the content are published in a way that reaches the people. [13:18] SEO isn't the same for everybody. The campaign starts with the website. It's important to know your audience and understand your competition. Make your website as attractive and user-friendly to your audience as possible. [14:17] Then focus on the other online aspects such as your directory and listings and things like that. All of this is important especially the customer generated content or the reviews. [15:24] You want to have a consistent presence where everyone knows who you are and where to find you. [15:47] Then you Branch out to social media and paid ads. [18:24] Google is a moving target with all of the algorithm changes. [21:14] SEO takes time. New clients have some type of SEO right off the bat. There will also be seasonal fluctuations and things need to be tested. SEO is a long-term play. [23:22] Organic search continues to grow. [24:01] Download speed matters on a website. Mobile speed is important. Content needs to be informative. Use Google Analytics to see if your content is performing. [26:43] Rob shares a success story of creating a web presence for a pond supply company. They focused on making this company the pond authority. People interacted through social channels. They used this interaction to generate content and FAQs that would generate more traffic. [31:34] Make your content important and useful. If you are an emergency plumber be available for emergencies. [32:34] The education phase of search includes reading blogs and reviews. Off site content like reviews is important. [33:39] Be an expert in the space. Be an authority. Be trustworthy. This is important for all businesses regardless of size. [34:44] They also worked on a local presence for a financial institution. They wanted to make sure all of the information was correct across all directories. [36:37] When people come to a page expecting one thing and they get something else, you will have a high bounce rate. [38:12] Audit your site and travel through it as if you were a customer. Fix any dead ends or content issues. Check your directory listings and see how you show up online. Google your business name and then your business address. [39:39] Look at your reviews and respond to them. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11548991

Truth, Lies, & Statistics with Paul Wiley 10/01/2019

Truth, Lies, & Statistics with Paul Wiley Paul Wiley is the co-founder of Opargo which is a company that uses the data optimization and predictive analytics used in the airline industry to help make healthcare more efficient for physicians and patients. Paul has a background in the airline industry, and he worked at Sabre Holdings. They sent him back to business school and through what he calls a meaningful collision, he discovered a need and an opportunity which led to Opargo. We talk about how data can be used to make significant and surprising changes. Paul also shares how data can’t be used unless it is tracked. He also gives actionable tips and a three-step process to look at your business and your data to really understand where opportunities are and where to go. These tips can be used in small and large businesses. This show will give you a better understanding of the possibilities of improving your operations with the use of data. Show Notes: [06:03] Paul worked at United Airlines and Sabre Holdings on the corporate side. [06:29] Paul went back to business school, and while he was there, he met a doctor who had the problem of working more and making less money. [06:48] He started looking into if there was an opportunity to apply yield management and the data aspects of the airline industry to the healthcare industry to help physicians become more efficient and help patients get better care. [07:02] They use predictive analytics to understand which patients are coming in and who needs care the most. [07:25] Yield management is the idea of a limited amount of supply and a limited amount of demand and applying these together to be as efficient as possible. [07:48] Grocers came up with the original idea of yield management. [13:16] Data can be used for all sorts of purposes, even why you are having trouble finding tech talent, and where to place your office. [15:17] Paul shares a story about helping a specialist get patients. They pulled the historical data. They also looked at referral patterns. He was getting his brother-in-laws patients in as fast as possible. The story is that it's important to have a Happy Thanksgiving. [19:03] They look at how busy providers are. Some are too busy, but there may be some that are under utilized. They look at methodologies to help utilization be evened out. This helps get patients in faster. [22:41] Meaningful collisions are opportunities to learn and grow. [23:26] You want to be purposeful and intentional with each encounter. [24:58] Paul shares how Opargo was started by a meaningful collision. [26:51] Listen to understand instead of listening to respond. [28:06] Being intentional in a conversation can be a great help when looking to hire for talent. [30:42] To affect change through data you have to track it. What drives your customer behavior and how can you take action with that type of buyer? You need to take the information and drive changes in your business. [33:39] Pick one place where you can have an impact and build from there. [34:20] Base decisions on data not emotion. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11448590

Get Out of Conflict Debt with Liane Davey 09/24/2019

Get Out of Conflict Debt with Liane Davey Nobody likes conflict, especially workplace conflict. That's why we are excited about today's guest Dr. Liane Davey. She is an author, motivational speaker, and organizational psychology expert. Her advice has helped some of the largest corporations in the world, but also applies to small teams. She is the author of and . In this conversation, we learn why conflict can actually be good and desirable as long as it is handled in a healthy way. Dr. Davey also shares two magic phrases that diffuse tears and anger. We also learn a three step validation process that can turn potential conflict into an opportunity for communication. She also shares her concept of conflict debt and how to deal with things so that conflict doesn’t build into a negative part of the team dynamic. Show Notes: [06:28] Dr. Davey has always been fascinated with factories. As she got older, she realized that teams are the modern factories in business. [07:05] She also discovered the field of organizational psychology and studied how teams and team dynamics affect innovation. [07:25] She has spent the last 25 years helping teams deal with the messy people stuff, so they can get back to business. [07:43] Dr. Davey got an email from Google this week while working in Silicon Valley, since she was in the neighborhood she stopped by and had a great conversation. [09:05] Her and her husband work with executive teams helping them with business strategy and how teams operate together to be better aligned. [10:19] Dr. Davey shares how conflict debt is a lot like credit card debt. [12:07] The interest on conflict debt can get so debilitating that businesses can't be the business they were meant to be. [13:14] Connectivity can be causing some of these issues. Now there is no escape. [15:01] Dr. Davey shares a story about how conflict adverse leaders can fail to do their job. [17:16] As a manager, the first responsibility is to let people know that conflict is normal. Conflict is the purpose of the teamwork. [18:57] Everyone running a small business should have a conversation with the team saying that if the sales person isn't annoying you the sales person isn't working enough. [20:00] The number one thing you can do in your business is to help people understand where they're supposed to be putting tension on things. [21:20] The most important moment is the first moment that you mess up. What you do when things go wrong determines who can be trusted. [22:34] Validate the thing someone says. Ask a question to understand where they are coming from. Say their truth. [24:59] When humans are validated they are then willing to pivot. [26:47] Have a conversation about conflict and tension and clear the air using validation techniques. [28:49] Solving a mistake made for a customer is an opportunity to build a much stronger relationship with that customer. [31:35] Conflict resolution only takes a couple of minutes to set things right up front. [35:15] What we can change is us. Teams are a dynamic. You changing your role will change the team. [37:33] We stay out of things for many reasons. [39:35] When people don't feel heard or understood, they come across as the wicked team member. [41:02] If you still have human employees, you still have emotions. You want healthy non-drama interpretation. [42:45] If someone starts to cry, you say this is important. What do I need to know? The same thing works when someone starts screaming. [45:28] The only people at work that get upset are the people who are engaged. [46:35] Dr. Davey shares a story about a woman leading an all male team who used emotion to do its job. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11366762

From Corporate Communications to the Bakehouse with Amie Smith 09/17/2019

From Corporate Communications to the Bakehouse with Amie Smith Amie Smith is a true entrepreneur who after having her own consulting business and spending a career in corporate communications decided to spend some time learning about one of her interests. That interest turned into a passion, and she completely changed her career trajectory and opened a bakery. Amie had a love of baking and felt there was a shortage of authentic pastries like she enjoyed when she was growing up. She opened AMIE Bakery in Osterville, Massachusetts. It’s a beautiful speciality bakery that makes guests feel like family. Amie is a driven business person and understands the importance of hiring the right experts and focusing on small steps during an expansion effort. She shares her contagious compassion along with solid business advice. This conversation will inspire you and might also just make you hungry. Show Notes: [06:22] AMIE Bakery is a small specialty bakery in Osterville. Massachusetts. [07:07] Amie Smith began her career in corporate communications. She had her own consulting company. [08:11] In 2008, her business had a downturn, and she had time to enroll in a professional pastry program. [09:37] Amie wanted to do something that she loved, but the classes sparked so many things that she loved. [10:14] Amie wants to share the gift of authentic pastries with the world. [11:22] Amie always felt like Osterville needed a neighborhood bakery, she also knew she wanted to retire there one day. [12:20] Working in a bakery is physically and mentally demanding. It's a different kind of work, but you get used to it. [13:11] She also had a lot of administrative work to do. Running a business, it's hard to be in the kitchen all the time. She is more of a creative director. [14:15] Amie is fortunate enough to have an amazing team. She still works 12-15 hour days with the launch of a new location. [15:26] She wears multiple hats but wouldn't have it any other way. [16:16] It's important for business owners to give over power and get help like hiring a manager. [17:01] It's important, if you want your business to succeed, that you do delegate and you do trust. [18:13] It's important to always have cash flow and really listen to your team. The team is in the trenches. [20:42] It's also important to educate your team and let them know why things are done a certain way. Communication is everything. [23:29] Amie is always planning ahead. She is always looking forward. She is also obsessed with food and building a brand. She has to decide what she is going to work on now and focus. [25:15] She hired an agency to create her brand and launch. She then found a space and opened. She had the vision and executed and grown from there. [26:13] They are also expanding their academy and class offerings and would like to expand that into YouTube or TV. [26:34] Shipping product is another segment that she is working on. [27:06] She has a lot of great expansion ideas and projects. AMIE is a play on the French word for friend, and Amie has a lot of brand expansion ideas from mixes to baked products and educational products. [27:53] It's hard to do everything at once, so Amie's plan is to carve out a plan and then get the right people in place to execute. [28:01] She likes to hire people who are experts in what they do. [28:42] Andre and Amie have been friends for years. [29:09] Osterville is a beautiful community. A garage that Amie had her eye on finally became available. She hired a builder and built the facility that she needed. She hired experts to help her become successful. [32:32] When someone has a dream and wants to do something that they are passionate about, they just need to try. It will be a lot of hard work and preparation. If your willing to do the work, put in the time, plan ahead, and have the resources you need, you will succeed. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11277101

Choose Your Market, Change Your Life with Ryan Levesque 09/10/2019

Choose Your Market, Change Your Life with Ryan Levesque Ryan Levesque is here with us today. Just in case you don’t know Ryan, he is the Inc. 500 CEO of The ASK Method® Company, and the #1 national best-selling author of Ask, which was named by Inc. as the #1 Marketing Book of the Year. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, and Entrepreneur and over 250,000 entrepreneurs subscribe to his email newsletter offering business advice. Ryan started from humble beginnings but went on to attend an Ivy League college, have a successful corporate career in China, and give it all up to start over to build his own business. In this episode, he shares his struggles and successes and the winning framework he discovered for business success. We talk about his book Ask and his new book Choose. He shares the five marketing must haves for a viable business today, and so much more. Show Notes: [07:41] Ryan came from a blue-collar background. He was the first in his family to go to college. He went to an Ivy League school and studied neuroscience, East Asian studies, and Chinese. [08:02] After graduating, he worked on Wall Street. [08:36] Ryan then decided to live and work in China. He and his wife spent five years in China. He was opening up sales offices for AIG. [09:02] Ryan felt unfulfilled. He had a great salary and a great corporate career. Then he woke up one day wondering is this it. [10:02] Ryan wanted independence and freedom. It was his goal to make $10,000 a month, so he could quit his job. He then discovered, his company might go under. This was the sign he had been looking for to finally make the leap. [11:58] If you've ever felt like you have more to give, the time to make a footprint and leave a mark is now. [12:17] Ryan quit his job and moved into student housing with his wife. [13:05] They had a lot of conversations about what type of business for Ryan to start. His wife showed him an idea from Etsy. [14:49] His wife pointed out how lucrative teaching can be. They started teaching people how to make Scrabble tile jewelry. [16:25] Ryan learned the lesson that they had stumbled upon a fad market. [17:07] They went back to the US and his wife got a job. [17:28] Ryan started researching evergreen hobbies. The one he stumbled upon was gardening and orchid care. [18:59] They moved to Austin, where they live now and grew their business. [19:16] They have done this in 23 markets and are now in their third year of being on the Inc. list of fastest growing companies. [19:43] They went into several niche markets refining the method that he teaches. Some examples are memory improvement, water filtration, teaching how to play tennis, golf, and guitar and dog training markets. [20:28] Every niche followed the same path where they would identify a market opportunity, ask a series of questions to understand the unmet need, and build a funnel to generate sales. [21:01] A few years ago, they shifted their focus to teaching this methodology. They wrote the book called Ask. It became a runaway success. Ask is about figuring out what people want to buy. [21:35] Their new book Choose. is about how to choose the right market to go into in the first place. [21:54] Choose is about who you want to sell to. Many people make the mistake of focusing on what. You need to identify who is your who. [25:38] When you get refined clarity about who you are serving, it makes all of the other decisions easy. [29:04] We've been teaching this methodology for years, they are proven processes. [30:31] If you start your business in the wrong market, you will never get to where you want to go. [32:00] The five market must haves include being in an evergreen market, being in an enthusiast market, an urgent problem, future problems, and be in a market filled with PWMs or players with money. [34:29] Use Google Trends to see if your Market is Evergreen. [36:25] You want to be in an enthusiast market not a problem solution market. [38:52] You need to find a burning urgent problem that people need to solve now. [40:41] You are now set up to be a trusted adviser in that space and solve future problems. [42:38] PWMs or players with money are able to buy what you are selling. You can't sell to broke people. [43:59] The dog market is filled with PWMs where people spend a disproportionate amount of their income. [46:32] The fear of giving up good to go after great holds so many people back. The Choose Method is designed to mitigate risk through a repeatable process. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11180444

The Power of Perseverance with Kevin Tuohy Part 2 09/03/2019

The Power of Perseverance with Kevin Tuohy Part 2 Kevin Tuohy joins Andre and Tracy for part two of their interview. Kevin is the founder of where he and his team offer an unparalleled shoeshine experience for special event attractions and in-store experiences. They have locations in New York, San Francisco, and Osaka, Japan. He was also featured in the documentary . Kevin is an entrepreneur, artist, entertainer, and sobriety advocate. On last week's episode, he shared his childhood and upbringing with us in his own colorful way. He also talked about his 30 years of sobriety that began when he had a white light experience at a facilitated event. This week we continue our conversation as Kevin shares more about that white light experience. Show Notes: [02:07] Kevin wasn't happy with himself. He went to the event that his sisters had talked him into going to. He walked into a dark room and they started doing creative visualization. [02:28] As Kevin was walking through his emotional junkyard, he had a white light experience. His eyes were closed and he saw a light. He also heard a voice say Kevin you have a problem with drugs and alcohol. He then started having the thought that he didn't want to drink anymore. He wanted to be sober. [03:31] This was August 16th, 1988. He started telling everyone that he is sober. It was like a switch, he had no desire to drink. [05:14] He had so much energy, he didn't know what to do. He was overwhelmed with a wave of hatred towards past grievances. All of his feelings bubbled to the surface. [06:51] He started going to meetings, praying, working out, and looking for any help he could get. [07:53] He smoked two to three packs a day. He also worked as a bar back. He was searching for something and running out of things to do. [09:39] Six years later, he became suicidal. Until he met a new woman. She taught him to take a written inventory, and he discovered that the 12 steps really did work. [16:06] Kevin became an overzealous AA advocate and really tried to convince everybody he knew to get involved. [17:30] After getting out of the army, Kevin said that he would never shine another pair of shoes, but this woman who he met was actually a shoeshiner. He tried shoe-shining, and he loved it. [18:32] He started managing a shoeshine stand in San Francisco. He hired all of his friends, and they became the sober shoeshine crew. [19:54] He ended up wanting to buy the shop. He put together a business plan and his professional customers helped him. [22:24] They built beautiful chairs, and he had one stand. He ended up buying another stand and then another. They started swing dancing and shining. They did eight seasons with the Giants, and then took over the Moscone Convention Center. They grew and did conventions all over the country. [24:35] He got a call from JetBlue, and they asked him to open up a stand at JFK. This was how Kevin ended up back in New York after being in San Francisco for so long. [27:32] They were voted best shoeshine in the world by Vanity Fair. They also took over a shop in Chelsea Market where Kevin spends most of his time now. [28:37] They also have a shop at Delta in LaGuardia. They also have a shop in the tallest building in San Francisco. What has happened with his business has been amazing for Kevin. [29:53] Kevin authentically shows up as himself. He loves expanding his business and just opened up a shop in Osaka, Japan. [31:19] Kevin and Andre are next door neighbors. People come to him for very custom work. [33:52] There is a lot of help out there. Don't be afraid to look for what will help you and ask questions. You can even hit up Kevin. [34:51] Kevin loves helping people and believes in self-examination, prayer, and meditation. Writing and meditating are so powerful. Links and Resources: Kevin Tuohy Interview Part 1 Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11101583

The Power of Perseverance with Kevin Tuohy Part I 08/27/2019

The Power of Perseverance with Kevin Tuohy Part I Kevin Tuohy is a founding partner and shoe shiner at the Shoeshine Guild. This is a company that he founded in 1996 by shining shoes at conventions and special events. He took on a partner and recruited friends to work with him. This company offers a retro experience along with a great shoe shine. The shiners are in huge demand and are also expert swing dancers in this retro industry. Kevin has a common bond with his founding crew, because they were all recovering alcoholics. In this entertaining and moving episode, Kevin talks about his upbringing in New York in the 1970s, and belonging to different gangs on the East and West coast. He talks about his Irish upbringing, moving to San Francisco when he was a teenager, joining the Army at 17, and how he began drinking and then was struck by sobriety. This powerful episode will induce tears of laughter and tears of emotion as Kevin shares his story. We broke this episode into two parts. This part is Kevin’s story up until he decided to get sober. Show Notes: [07:36] Kevin is Andre's next door neighbor. [08:20] Kevin got sober in 1998. [11:30] He is up for a small business award at the Irish Echo. [12:03] When he was 16, his family moved to San Francisco. Young Kevin didn't like it there. He was in a gang in New York and then joined a gang in San Francisco. [15:21] The first time Kevin got drunk was in California in 1977. [17:44] He went to the Fame school in Harlem. He didn't like it. Kevin wanted to be a comic book artist. He then started hanging out with the kids and drinking all day. He was 13. [22:37] His gang member friends were mostly children of Black Panthers. [23:46] One of Kevin's friends encouraged him to join the Army. He went to Germany and began to see the world. He was 17. He also just began drinking. He jumped out of helicopters and was a machine gunner. [27:28] After 32 months, his tour was done. [28:45] Kevin shares how he got stabbed and made the mistake of messing with a catheter in the hospital. [29:36] He was 20 when he returned to the States. After a Tijuana trip gone bad, it may have been time to talk about getting sober. [32:21] Kevin knew something was wrong and tried a process suggested by his sister where he had a white light spiritual experience. This is when he heard a voice say he had a problem with drugs and alcohol. [33:48] This is when he decided that he wanted to be sober. [34:37] It was like a switch. He was struck sober and hasn't had a drink in 30 years. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/11005583

Build Your Brand or Die with Jay Ferracane 08/20/2019

Build Your Brand or Die with Jay Ferracane Designer Jay Ferracane is here today. Jay is the perfect guest for this show. He is as passionate about design as he is about business. Jay is the creative director and founder at Angry Bovine. Jay is a traditionally trained graphic designer with a diverse client and employment background. He is passionate about delivering creative works that build brands and clearly communicate client objectives. In this episode, we spend a lot of time talking about the importance of having a brand no matter what size your business is. Jay feels that a brand is a promise and the logos and design are what portray that promise. Jay shares his story of how he started working as a designer and how and why he started his design company Angry Bovine. He also talks about the design process that he and Tracy used when coming up with branding materials for the LOCALiQ events. Show Notes: [06:32] Jay is a traditionally trained graphic designer. He learned communication and layout in the International Swiss style. [07:46] Right out of design school, Jay started working at an Internet startup. Communicating through pictures was an interesting challenge. [09:22] Jay was a junior designer with a wide skill set. He was also one of the only designers, so he took every opportunity that was offered to him. [10:16] Jay worked through both dot com booms. [10:35] Working at an agency is what inspired him to start his own business. [11:47] In 2008, Jay moved to Boulder, CO. He had independent clients come to him, which made it very convenient for him to start his own design business. [13:07] It's really cool to look back and ask why that worked. [14:39] Jay likes to work directly with decision makers and not dilute the process. [17:20] A lot of Jays design relationships are ongoing. [17:37] Angry Bovine was critical with the launch of LocaliQ and then they got pulled into The Growth Lab. [18:13] The one thing Jay can't teach clients is curiosity and enthusiasm. [18:29] The Growth Lab does live events all over the county. They wanted a lively brand and turned to Jay. Jay and his team created logos and banners for the live events. [20:40] Tracy said it was like Jay understood what was in her heart. [21:18] He has been a creative director and designer on both sides of the fence. You learn more about your clients on the walk to the conference room. [22:53] Jay wanted to know what it was like taking the show on the road. What she wanted to carry is part of the design process. He is interested in the execution and the aesthetic. [25:44] Big businesses still use people like Jay, just in a different role. Small businesses should never underestimate the investment in brand. [26:36] You want to be the easiest to understand and the most engaging when compared to your competitors. Brand matters and creates a rule book to live by. Your brand is who you are and what you stand for as a brand. [29:22] Your written brand isn't chiseled in stone. Your brand can evolve with your business. [31:49] Use your brand document to determine what you should do as a service and for your mission. [32:05] A brand is a promise. Logos and things are what draw you into that promise. [33:11] Building a community is a really strong business tool. [35:47] Entrepreneurs are creatives who make stuff happen. They are the experts of their brand. [37:35] There are so many great resources out there. Take a leap of faith and find someone to help with your branding within your budget. [39:55] Propose a price. Don't be afraid to find someone to help you build your brand. [41:19] You own your authenticity. You just need to put it into practice. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10923031

Aging Boldly with Jeannie Ralston 08/13/2019

Aging Boldly with Jeannie Ralston Journalist, author, and business owner Jeannie Ralston is here today. Jeannie is the founder of NextTribe a magazine for women who are 45 + that offers information, inspiration and a healthy dose of irreverence. Jeannie began her career as a journalist in New York and wrote for several well known publications. She then got married, moved to Texas, and started a lavender farm. Eventually, Jeannie and her husband took their two sons and moved to Mexico before traveling the world and homeschooling her sons. Jeannie wrote about these experiences and realized that her cumulative life experience qualified her to do many things including run her own business. Jeannie is a champion for women and women in business in the 45 + age group. The mantra of her magazine is age boldly. We have an inspiring conversation that many women and people over 40 can relate too. Show Notes: [11:54] Jeannie is joining us today from Texas. [12:32] She has a background in journalism and after college, worked in New York at several popular magazines including Allure, Time, Life, and more. [13:37] After her kids went to college, she wanted to find something out there for her, so she founded her own business and website. [15:02] Jeannie's first taste of being an entrepreneur was being a lavender farmer in Blanco, Texas. This was a big change from New York. [16:07] Her husband was inspired by the lavender farms in Provence. [17:02] They ended up with 96 different lavender related products and made it into a real business. [17:48] Her first book was about a New York journalist becoming a lavender farmer. [18:20] The family then sold the lavender business and moved to Mexico. After 4 years in Mexico, they traveled the world and homeschooled their children. [19:00] She also wrote a book about that experience. [20:12] Jeannie has had so many careers that have benefited all of her business experience. [21:04] NextTribe also curates trips for women which Jeannie is an expert at planning. They have retreats in Mexico at areas that she knows well. [24:14] Jeannie spoke at SXSW on a panel for women entrepreneurs who are 45 + years old. [28:32] A lot of women with incredible experience can't get an interview because of ageism. This is one reason why women keep starting businesses. [30:06] Her panel was well received, because so many women want to start businesses and make it work. [32:28] Some issues that hold women back are fear and self excluding. [35:23] When in your 50s with nothing to prove is a great time to start a business. [36:36] NextTribe is equal parts information with a healthy dose of irreverence. It was important to have the best writers providing content. Jeannie had a long list of contacts that she could rely on. [39:54] Good writing is able to identify thoughts and feelings that readers have but can't articulate. [45:19] Advertisers are becoming more aware and looking at Jeannie's age group as viable for advertisers. [48:05] Now more women are doing their own thing and setting the parameters that they want. [51:48] If women can have more control it would be a great change in the corporate culture. [53:10] Look through your contacts and appreciate your network and don't self exclude to start your business and make the most of your life experience and push into those areas. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10867569

A Different Kind Of Cleanse with Jenny Thompson 08/06/2019

A Different Kind Of Cleanse with Jenny Thompson We have a really interesting guest on our show today. Jenny Thompson is the CEO and Founder of SafetyPIN Technologies, as well as the author of . In today’s episode, Jenny shares her business background. She talks about being promoted to manager and the mistakes she made as a young new manager. She realized she needed to improve her leadership skills and in the process became a better leader and a better business person. We have a no-holds barred conversation about what it takes to run a business and manage people. Jenny shares when cuts need to be made with products and people. She even shares a straight forward firing script. We also talk about the four quadrants that are included in the 3-Day Business Cleanse. This a fun and lively conversation. Jenny even has a hilarious story about how she was inspired to create a new start-up called SafetyPIN. Show Notes: [04:27] Jenny decided to dictate her book, because it was the same process that she is given in presentations. She shared the presentation with her dogs, and they were riveted. [06:10] The process of dictating it made it a better book. [07:58] Jenny worked for a health publisher, and there was a sink or swim mentality. She went from 1 employee to 45 employees. She shares (in her book) how this was a learning experience. She realized that she was a horrible boss and lost sight of the hierarchy when being promoted. [13:43] Jenny knew it was time to brush up on her leadership skills and read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. [14:17] As a boss, you're going to have to be willing to be the most hated person in the building. Jenny took responsibility for her previous actions and started working on her leadership skills. [16:55] She started bringing people who she clicked with into the company. [18:23] She decided to do an audit of all of the products that her business was promoting. If a product didn't contribute $50,000 net, they got rid of it. [19:49] Eliminating distractions is such an important part of focus and resources. [21:41] The Three Day Cleanse is about unpacking. How you define what you do is important because it defines your KPIs. The first day they define what the business does, and they look at the products, then they redefine the SWOT analysis. [24:29] Marketing is like sex. What you do is fine, but what everyone else does is either extreme or prudish. [25:16] What are you better at than anybody? Every company has something that the employees are embarrassed by. Customers should be able to take time with the product. Stop doing the thing employees are embarrassed by. [30:28] Sales goals can limit success. Goals define failure. Jenny looks at dreams as opposed to goals. They break down dreams that are real and attainable. [34:37] Distractions need to be identified and gotten rid of. [36:37] Starting at no and letting people defend products is a much better starting point. [38:01] Day two is where they create the product grid and assess everything. Resources aren't only money. In fact, money is the least important resource. [38:41] A low opportunity and a high resource product gets a skull and crossbones and that project is killed. [41:02] Significant opportunity without significant resources is the thing that we focus on. [42:32] When doing a 3-day cleanse, hire a facilitator that's not afraid of the CEO. [44:19] On day 3, they do a creative brainstorming to position the five most important things that they are going to work on. [45:29] Have someone you know and trust facilitate for a small business. [46:52] It's important to be able to fire people who aren't performing. This can be an issue especially for small businesses. [47:52] Reticence to fire people is a weakness in leadership. If you would be relieved that the person is resigning, then firing them is probably a good idea. Give someone you want to stay a raise. [49:14] Jenny shares her firing script. [54:24] Jenny has her own startup called which is a universal trust badge representing online screening. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10779140

Making Money, Making Music with Tara Buzash 07/30/2019

Making Money, Making Music with Tara Buzash Musician turned business owner Tara Buzash is here with us today. This is the perfect episode for small business owners, because Tara shares really specific ways that she has had to overcome obstacles in her business and her life. She also has some really fun stories about working in the wedding industry about proposals and marriage. Tara is a pianist, composer, educator, and business woman. In 2008, Tara and a partner founded Sweet Harmony as a music duo to play at weddings, proposals, and events. It’s now a network of over 200 musicians serving all over the country. Tara has performed at The Kennedy Center, NJ Women in Jazz Festival, and many other prestigious stages. She has a Master’s degree in Jazz Piano Performance from Rutgers and too many credentials to name. We are thrilled to have her join us today. Show Notes: [06:48] Tara has always loved music and is a jazz pianist. Tara and a violinist friend of hers created Sweet Harmony where they play music at weddings. [08:05] Tara has been playing piano since she was a child. [09:36] After 10 years of classical lessons, Tara began learning jazz piano. Jazz opened a new world of improvisational playing for her. [11:30] Tara started learning Chinese in High School and lived in China after college. She was totally immersed in the language. She taught jazz piano. It was a very rich experience. [14:00] When Tara returned to the states, she started building her career as a music teacher. [17:44] The business Sweet Harmony has been growing thanks to Tara's business plan of removing the obstacles and letting growth happen organically. [18:30] Tara shares examples of where fear can take over, and she would end up being the obstacle. She realized that she needed to research and expand to meet customer requests. [20:37] Prayer has helped Tara with running her business. [21:08] Her business is 10 years old. It didn't take long to add more musicians to the network. They now have a network of several hundred. [23:31] Sweet Harmony will be there for you up to the day of the wedding. [25:00] Tara shares top skills she has honed as a business owner like not letting emotions run the day and considering everything before making decisions. [26:56] Because of Sweet Harmony's fast growth, Tara has to remain nimble and be willing to readjust when needed. [27:23] Sweet Harmony has experienced exponential growth including 100% growth in the beginning years. [29:05] Social media is becoming more important. [30:56] When it comes to running a business, you have to find time and make sacrifices, but the rewards are great. [32:55] It helps to think like a big brand and remove friction. [34:22] Some people are very particular about their music choices. Sweet Harmony does charge when they have to learn new music. [36:09] Having favorite songs played live is very special. [37:01] They offer small ensembles and play a variety of music. [38:26] They have an app coming out in a year. They want to offer quick, easy, and quality. [40:29] Technology has created an open playing field for businesses of all sizes. [44:59] Tara went to play for a marriage proposal and she was so into her solo that she missed her cue when a plane flew over to pop the question. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10673117

Picking Sides with Jeffrey Hayzlett 07/23/2019

Picking Sides with Jeffrey Hayzlett We have an interesting guest today who believes that the only difference between a large business and a small business is the amount of zeros. In other words, the same guiding principles that can make a large business a success can make any business a success. Jeffrey Hayzlett is the primetime television host of C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives LIVE on C-Suite TV and is the host of the award-winning All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C-Suite Radio. Hayzlett is a global business celebrity, Hall of Fame speaker, Chairman and CEO of C-Suite Network, home of the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders and best-selling author. He believes in the conditions of satisfaction in business, work, and life. His personal conditions of satisfaction include wealth and having a good life, doing things that make you learn things, and having fun. Jeffrey is a leading business expert who shares his executive insight over many networks, including his own. We are thrilled to have him on the show today to talk about a wide array of topics including life, work, and business. Show Notes: [07:49] A lot of businesses need to spend more time walking with swagger. A brand is really promises delivered. [10:30] Jeffrey's own condition of satisfaction is based on three things. 1. He wants to build wealth. 2. He wanted to do things that he would learn from. 3. It has to be fun. [15:30] As a small business person, the key is to not kid yourself and make those tough decisions. Be enthusiastic, but real. [18:02] In everything we do in business or even relationships there's always a customer and always a performer. In the action cycle, the condition of satisfaction is very clear. [20:13] Each person in each role in business has four or five promises that they need to keep to their boss, leader, or customer. [21:15] Jeffrey has bought and sold over 250 businesses in his career. He's an entrepreneur, and the longest he's ever stayed in one place has been Eastman Kodak for four years. [22:17] He now runs the C-Suite Network and has a community of many different organizations. The c-suite can be a lonely place, and C-Suite Network works to combat that. Their content is exploding, plus they have meetings, and they sell services. [23:40] Jeffrey has books, a TV show, podcasts, and speaking engagements. The brand of Jeffrey is managed by his son. He also serves on boards and owns other companies. [24:02] The Hero Factor got started as a result of the Hero Club. Rob Ryan sold it to Jeffrey for one dollar. [27:15] The Hero factor is a business owner that puts people over profit. It's really a manifesto about how to run your business. [28:39] Hero companies have high values and high operational excellence. [31:34] Companies who have the Hero Factor actually make more money, have happier employees, and more engaged customers. [33:29] Hero traits are values. Think about your walk away values and what you value. Have a vision of what it's going to be when it's done. [36:23] Be truly diverse in how you serve your customers, the ideas you think about, and in the way you hire. Bringing in more people and more ideas makes you more inclusive. [43:16] More business leaders should stand up for what they believe in. [47:30] In business, we can learn from our failures but should focus on our wins. [48:14] There are hundreds of members of the HERO club doing all kinds of great things. [53:50] Every moment of time of a CEO is valuable. [57:00] Be transparent like Domino's did when they revamped their pizza. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10618394

Local Matters with Kevin Gentzel 07/16/2019

Local Matters with Kevin Gentzel We are honored and excited to have President of USA Today Marketing Solutions Kevin Gentzel with us today. Kevin joined Gannett as its first Chief Revenue Officer in 2015 and was named President of USA TODAY NETWORK Marketing Solutions in 2019. He brought with him 20 years of media experience. He previously was head of Advertising Sales, North America at Yahoo!, and earlier served as Chief Revenue Officer of The Washington Post, and Chief Revenue Officer at Forbes Media. Since Kevin’s been at the USA TODAY NETWORK he has grown digital sales across national and local properties and has launched new initiatives like branded content. In this episode we talk about how LocaliQ can help local businesses, data informed design, native advertising, using AR and VR in storytelling and more. We also talk about the future of the Internet, and Kevin shares a new VR rocket launch app and the Blue Angels 360. Show Notes: [03:30] Kevin is very passionate about digital media and marketing. The time that he has spent in his career that he is most proud of is when he worked with extremely great talent. [04:13] Some of the proudest times in Kevin's career was when he was working with extremely great talent. Figuring out the future is like a Lewis and Clark expedition. Making up a future that hasn't yet been created is fun. [05:46] With the Internet, a generation is 5 years, and we've gone through a number of cycles of generation and regeneration. [06:11] Thinking about scale from a Silicon Valley perspective is a billion users. Not many platforms have developed a product that has reached a billion users. [06:50] For a media company, the benchmark is a hundred million people. Gannett has scaled one reader at a time. This was a big draw for Kevin. [07:40] We have journalists across the country building audiences in 109 communities. [09:16] LocalQ was designed to provide agency and consulting like services for small and local businesses. We might be uniquely positioned to make a model out of creating a local agency. [10:56] We feel we can create a unique partnering opportunity with local businesses. [11:50] We used machine learning to find out if we can impact performance with display ad design. Data informed design is becoming more of how our designers are designing display assets. [12:11] Driving more business with display ad products is critical for local businesses. [12:25] Native advertising is in the family of branded content. We feel it’s important for a local business to be able to take advantage of native advertising because it drives deep engagement. [13:28] Whether it's through video, quizzes, graphs, or other interactive immersive storytelling devices that branded content drives engagement. [15:07] LocaliQ has great technology like AI machine learning that can be made available for local business owners. [16:46] We now have a product that uses deep learning that we are bringing to local businesses. [17:32] Kevin shares how we can make these technologies real to local business owners. AI and machine learning will become less intimidating and more tangible in the next two years. [19:25] Virtual reality puts journalists, engineers, product teams, and advertising together. VR and AR are really exciting for the future of storytelling on the Internet. [23:12] We've worked with a lot of brands to help tell stories in VR. [24:37] Augmented reality takes highly complicated subject matter and makes it understandable. [25:15] The 321 Launch app simulates rocket launches. [27:15] Trying new things can be risky and scary for local business owners. We are experiencing extreme disruption. Modern business owners need to be open to new possibilities. [28:45] Our value proposition helps business owners with technology, dashboarding, and reporting to empower them to do it effectively and efficiently. [30:37] Some of the biggest mistakes occur when you don't learn from your decisions. [33:06] Develop a personal board of directors that you can tap into to gain diverse perspectives. [33:50] Kevin has worked with Jeff Bezos. He acquired the The Washington Post when Kevin was the Chief Revenue Officer. Jeff believes having a point of view adds 20 points to your IQ. There are handwritten meeting agendas. [35:38] Kevin also worked with Steve Forbes and learned about the economics of business. [37:14] He predicts that smart products and 5G will become a bigger part of the Internet. [38:10] There are challenges and opportunities that brands face in a voice driven world. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10526201

Limitless with Laura Gassner Otting 07/09/2019

Limitless with Laura Gassner Otting Who decides what success is to you? Today’s guest is Laura Gassner Otting the author of . Laura emphatically believes that only we can define what success is to us. After being a successful CEO, Laura was able to branch out and do what feels like success to her. She is an author and keynote speaker who truly believes that we should all have the courage to find our personal calling and live a life of unlimited possibility. Laura shares her background starting in law school to The White House to CEO to creating her own personal brand. We also talk about some great concepts from her book that can help all of us open up to limitless possibility. Show Notes: [08:07] Laura's new book Limitless was originally called Purpose. That book was about whether or not we feel meaningful in the work that we do. Does it add to lives that we want to build? Purpose wasn't really flowing, but Laura's editor knew she was on to an even bigger idea. [09:46] She wanted people to stop being limited by everyone else's definition of what success should be or Limitless. [11:13] Laura spent 20 years interviewing people who were at the top of their game, but changing careers to do something more meaningful to them. [12:04] Laura went to law school thinking she would be Florida's first female Senator. An accidental stop at Bill Clinton's campaign office inspired her to work on the campaign and eventually even work in The White House. [14:34] She did data entry at The White House, but felt imposter syndrome. As she was faking it until she made it, she realized that she could actually say "I don't know." [18:10] She began asking questions and gaining mentors and champions. [21:25] She got an opportunity to research for Peace Corps and worked at The White House for four years. [23:33] She then worked as a headhunter in Boston until she had a moment of rage and realized that she wasn't part of the solution. [27:18] She ended up starting her search firm with a phone call from a friend and taking a chance on a $100 an hour quote. She ran the firm for 15 years. They were selling trust and partnerships not talent. [29:39] Laura decided to charge clients an hourly rate across the board to not incentivize the higher dollar searches. [34:04] Laura sold her firm three years ago. [34:41] She started writing and was invited to give a TEDx Talk. After the exposure, she was asked to give some keynote speeches. [38:25] She then started training and met other speakers and now it's her job. [42:59] Laura used to get nervous before speaking and get physically ill. One day it just stopped happening when she knew that she had mastered her material. [44:57] We are limited by other people and their definitions of success. [46:15] No one cares and no one is watching us. Most people will respond to you based on their own anxiety. [48:09] Consonance is a feeling of frictionless belonging or momentum in stride. Everything you love to do is being called upon by the thing you care about the most. [51:04] The four Cs: Calling or the thing you care about more than anything else. Connection or would anyone care if you called in tomorrow. Contribution is about you. How does the work you do enable you to manifest your values? Control or how much agency do you have to choose work that affects your life. [52:22] Each of us are going to want these at different amounts. [58:18] Work and life need to be aligned, not balanced. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10442111

From Prison to Forbes in 5 Years with Louis Ziskin 07/02/2019

From Prison to Forbes in 5 Years with Louis Ziskin We have a very unique and cool guest on the show today. Louis Ziskin started a business using crowdsourcing, smartphones, and drones that speeds up and simplifies insurance claims for the clients and the insurance companies. Prior to this, he was serving 12 years in prison for trafficking MDMA. While in prison, he spent time in the hole where he had time to reflect. During this time he had an epiphany that changed his attitude and his life. Louis is the CEO of DropIn a platform that uses crowdsourcing and technology to get instant video for insurance claims. Today, Louis shares his amazing story and what he learned in prison. We get to learn about his epiphany and what he noticed after prison that gave him the idea for DropIn. Louis also shares the pivot that his company took to be financially successful, and he shares so much wit and wisdom that this is one of our favorite shows. Show Notes [03:47] Louis is joining us from Los Angeles. [04:23] He spent 12 years in prison for trafficking MDMA. [06:03] In 2012, he was in a halfway house and home confinement. [06:10] He was released in 2013, and started DropIn in May of 2015. Louis was off of parole in July of 2016. [06:35] When he got home he noticed that we are watching the news the same way in spite of technology. [07:50] He realized that now there are people with smartphones everywhere. Why aren't we watching what happened 3 hours ago? Anyone could go live stream for a few dollars. [09:25] He and his partner thought about creating some type of live news program through social platforms and Lyft, but then they pivoted into insurance. [12:00] Louis is the CEO of DropIn, the company that he and his partner started. They are worldwide and also are an overflow contractor for ABC News. [12:48] DropIn is a live video collaboration platform. It allows you to send a text to any smartphone and the recipient who clicks on it is live streaming with two-way VOIP, so they can be asked to get additional shots or angles. It allows remote video inspections. [13:21] They also have a partnership with Lyft where the drivers live stream for insurance companies or banks. [14:59] You can sign up to be a Droperator on the DropIt website. They also work with DJI drone pilots and collaborate. [17:41] Louis went from prison to Forbes in 5 years by starting DropIn. [18:35] In prison, Louis was in the hole where he had time to think. He was very angry about the informants in his case. He ended up having an epiphany. [19:24] He realized that instead of blaming the informants that he should have seen it coming. It was a cascade of self-awareness where looking back he saw things completely differently. [20:38] Once you realize your own depths of depravity, everything changes. Blaming other people is the beginning of being a victim. [24:16] Taking responsibility gives you control and gives you power. Once Louis realized this, he spent his last year in prison working out and reading and giving himself the tools to be a good person. [25:10] Once he had these tools, he was no longer stuck being a criminal. Life is so much easier as a law-abiding citizen than it is as a criminal. [28:47] Louis reminds himself what it was like to be in prison, and then he doesn't mind being in traffic. [30:07] Louis and his best friend built spec homes for his brother when they first got out of prison. Then Louis was looking into starting his own real estate investment firm when he started reading about drones. [33:14] DJI live streams from drones. Then he called some app developers. Then he started DropIn. His friend is a co-founder and also still does real estate investing. [36:30] The idea was first crowdsourcing drone pilots and smartphones. Then he pivoted into insurance. [38:55] Customers who use DropIn get a high level of service very fast. Carriers also have less leakage if they take care of things on the first notice of claim or faster. [42:41] Louis represented himself in court and found out when the stakes couldn't be higher, that he was always the man that he thought it would be. [43:39] It's easier for intelligent people to delude themselves. [46:10] Every morning Louis thinks about the five things that he doesn't want to do for the day. He then starts them before he leaves the house. The things that we don't want to do are actually life Improvement opportunities in disguise. [48:46] Get the stuff you need to do done first thing in the morning and everything is better. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10363274

Daydrinking for Work with Jackie Summers 06/25/2019

Daydrinking for Work with Jackie Summers We are excited to have Jackie Summers here today. Jackie is the founder of Jack From Brooklyn and Sorel Liqueur. His amazing liqueur is award-winning, and he has had multiple offers to acquire the company -- a company that he started by making the Sorel in his kitchen with a 400-year-old Caribbean recipe and organic grain alcohol. Jackie has an amazing story, from how his business was inspired after a very serious cancer scare to his mission of spreading awareness. Jackie is an author and speaker who raises awareness about systemic oppression and the entire axis of privilege and domination. He educates people about being actively anti-racist and looks inward at his own possible misogyny. His mission is to help people be aware of the importance of inclusion and how it only makes society, a business, or a world a better place. This conversation is filled with colorful stories and historical facts that not everyone may be aware of. Show Notes: [02:21] Jackie's Dad played piano for Louis Armstrong. [02:35] In 2010, Jackie had a cancer scare. The doctor found a golf ball-sized tumor and said that Jackie had a 95% chance of dying. [03:04] This gave Jackie the opportunity to ask himself how he would want to spend his last day on Earth. [03:54] He thought long and hard and knew that he wanted to day drink. He wanted to monetize his day drinking, and he took a recipe from his kitchen and created Sorel liqueur. [05:14] In 2012, he was the only black person in America licensed to make liquor. [08:56] As Jackie tried to educate people about being actively anti-racist he had to ask himself about his own internal misogyny. [10:06] Jackie became self-aware and started asking what else doesn't he know. He asked how he can make himself more aware and spread the awareness. [10:47] He's a writer and a teacher and speaks publicly about systemic oppression and the entire axis of privilege and domination. [12:35] Jackie shares the stubbed toe theory. Let's make sure the vulnerable part is protected. Society needs to protect its most vulnerable members. [14:48] Food is political by default. There is an entire food revolution going on in Poland that you can only make sense of if you know their history. [16:24] A slave taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey. The cocktail culture has origins with people of color. [17:15] Dive bars also began with people of color. [18:03] Speaking engagements are at the front of Jackie's business. It's his job to contribute to the ongoing saga in a meaningful way. [19:59] Jackie launched Sorel in 2012. He didn't spend a dime on marketing, but it was a huge success. [20:45] The liqueur is a 400-year-old Caribbean recipe with hibiscus, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and organic grain alcohol. [23:14] Jackie wanted to continue to be part of his brand, so he turned down acquisition offers. [27:15] Jackie shares about how Rwanda is growing because of women entrepreneurs. With women in charge, things are better for everyone. [29:44] Jackie speaks at a lot of cocktail conventions. He sits on an education council. [30:48] Shine a light through a prism and you get a rainbow. [31:27] A week after this episode was recorded he spoke at . [34:09] We are all impacted by all the rest of us. [40:48] It's important to remember that others aren't different than you. [44:07] Consider making things better for your employees and your patrons. Varied viewpoints will help your product be accepted by more people. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10274432

What's Your Point? with Joel Schwartzberg 06/18/2019

What's Your Point? with Joel Schwartzberg One of the best ways to communicate effectively and to respect your audience is to know your point and share it effectively. Joel Schwartzberg has been teaching public speaking and messaging techniques to clients since 2006. He is also the author of . We are so excited to have Joel on the show today talking about how to get the point across. Joel shares how some people don’t really have a point. We talk about how step one is getting clear on your point and then clearly getting it across. Joel talks about the importance of not muddying the waters with too much information. We talk about email, presentations, meetings, and so many instances where leaders and everyone could improve their communication by having a point and getting it across. Joel shares his wit and wisdom in this fun and informative interview. Show Notes: [06:06] The first stumbling block is understanding what a point is. It's often the difference between describing and selling. [06:27] A point is a piece of value or an argument that you're trying to convince someone of. Once someone has their point than they can begin developing their journey. [07:47] Too much information will dilute the impact. [11:31] Share an idea that people will be inclined to want to hear more about and then back it up with data. [12:17] People can be hesitant to make "I believe that" statements. It's just a test to make sure that you have a point. [15:14] Technology has made it much easier to put out content. It's important to find out where the people you want to reach are at. [17:25] You want to be careful that you don't use email in a way that creates an obstacle in getting your point across. [18:19] Put your big idea in the subject line. Get to the point so people will read the email and get the information right away. Use bullets and use the fewest amount of words possible. [20:57] Find the point and value of the point. [21:37] Badjectives are adjectives that are so broad they serve no purpose. If someone is great be explicit why. [23:48] The fewer things you give to your audience the better. Be loud and simple. [24:46] It's important to pause and allow time. [26:20] Know what your point is or the highest piece of value that you are trying to convey and then make sure you convey that. [27:45] If your story doesn't illustrate your point, it's useless. This story illustrates why we must... [28:50] People need to bring points to meetings not topics. They should have an argument about something that needs to be done. [30:52] When people are making cases for things, you can really move your business forward. [32:15] Avoid time wasters and get to the point. [34:19] People often remember the first thing you say and the last thing you say. Try to make the best use of that last moment they will hear. End with your point. [37:43] You want to give your audience as much help as you can whether it's in person or a cover leather. [38:09] You can start with three points and bring it together in the middle. [39:32] You can say your point too many times if it is a true point. [41:03] Too many points can get lost just like split ends. [42:19] Joel uses an example about Taylor Swift winning a Grammy Award. Don't let the naysayers stop you. [44:39] Joel has a goal to do a TED Talk. He wants to do it partially to see what the experience is like. He also wants to share what he knows. [46:46] Know your point. Share your point. Be the champion of your point. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10153727

VR & U with Amber Osborne 06/11/2019

VR & U with Amber Osborne We have a special guest today. We keep hearing about AR and VR, but do we really understand it? The technology is emerging, and there are so many facets that we could talk about, so we thought we would bring in an expert on VR. Amber Osborne is the CMO of a product called rumii which is a virtual reality meeting and education platform. Amber explains the differences of AR and VR, and she shares why she thinks 2019 is going to be the year of VR. The technology behind standalone headsets is improving while the prices are coming down. As this technology gets into the hands of more people, the endless possibilities start becoming apparent. We talk about immersive learning applications, how meetings can be more focused and productive, and how game opportunities are already available. We also talk about travel, relaxation, meditation, and possibilities with VR. From enterprise solutions to personal use, there are VR solutions that will only grow and become better with time. We also talk about immersive music and theater opportunities using VR. This is an eye opening interview that barely scratches the surface of the upcoming possibilities VR will provide. Show Notes [02:17] VR is when you are immersed in an environment outside of your reality. AR is the augmentation of your current reality. Pokemon Go is augmented reality. Virtual reality is a more immersive experience. [03:30] AR can be really helpful with technical training. [04:50] A great example of augmented reality would be Rocky Horror Picture Show where you wouldn't have real hot dogs thrown at you. [05:28] Amber works for a company called Doghead Simulations and they have a VR product called rumii. [05:34] It's like a virtual realty office or classroom. Remote workers also use it for business meetings. [06:23] Parsons Design School is bringing VR into their classrooms. [07:32] You need a headset for a VR meeting. When you get into rumii everyone has an avatar, and you can use your headset to control things like hand gestures. There are also eye tracking sensors. [10:25] They try to keep their avatars away from the thing they call Uncanny Valley where everything's made to look so real that it actually looks really strange. [11:54] Immersion in a meeting will make it much easier to pay attention. [13:45] Amber thinks 2019 is the year people are going to start embracing VR especially with the new standalone headsets that are coming out. [14:23] is going to be a game changer for consumers. VR is going to be much more accessible and people will have experiences in VR with applications and films. [16:35] The biggest roadblock to mainstream VR so far is the price point. [18:19] Doghead is doing a project with a Harvard Egyptology class where they are guiding a VR tomb. [19:23] They've also been involved in a lot of language learning. VR can be an immersive experience for language learning. [21:59] VR was used to connect a classroom with a remote island in Tanzania. The use of this technology is limitless like the human imagination. [23:56] Virtual reality can connect the world in ways that it has never been done before. We will be able to interact without boundaries. [25:50] A lot of people are looking for an escape and virtual reality can offer that. [28:26] VR can be another way to communicate and escape. Once people try it, the ideas begin to flow. Amber feels this is a once in a lifetime technology game changer. [32:00] As the technology gets easier to use, we will see more people using it. [33:02] There are applications in social VR where you can have meetups and networking. [34:03] Enhancing networking with VR can be impressive for people building businesses. [34:27] There are also amazing meditation and relaxation apps. Businesses can have rooms with headsets for meditation. [39:36] Experiences that will wow people will be tailored to their wants and needs. We can have experiences that we normally wouldn't be able to have. The common entry point that people will be able to understand is probably video games. [42:35] Most headset manufacturers have their own version of app stores. An Oculus user can talk to a Vive user. You can also interact with mobile. [45:08] VR is going to change movie and theater to experiences. Sundance has taken content creators under their wings. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10119927

Becoming an Ambassador of Compassion with Rena DeLevie 06/04/2019

Becoming an Ambassador of Compassion with Rena DeLevie The culture of a company, the way things are run, and the attitude of the employees all come from the top. Businesses trying to differentiate themselves are putting more emphasis on people than ever before. Today’s guest is someone who discovered that having compassion and empathy for people can lead to better management and better business. Rena DeLevie is the author of and . Rena is a coach and an expert in compassionate management the methodology she created that implements compassion as a business tool. She runs where she trains future leaders to be more empathetic leaders, but it wasn’t always this way for Rena. In this episode, she shares her strict business background and how she had an epiphany after 9/11 and decided to merge business, creativity, and empathy to build better businesses and a better world. Show Notes: [03:04] Rena worked in a corporate environment for 20 years. She was an art director, and she went into management. She worked in marketing and creative at large companies like J. Crew. [04:22] Rena got stuff done, but people would cower when she came around. She was a bully of a manager. [05:00] Rena is extraordinarily empathetic, and she had also just started meditating when 9/11 happened. [05:49] She started thinking about who she wanted to be in this world. She had been playing the game and trying to fit in, but she was lonely and sad on the inside. [06:39] She had a really deep intense epiphany. She started thinking about what she could do to bring joy to herself and help people. [07:59] She decided to show up and be empathetic and sensitive and not apologize for her sensitivity at all. [08:20] She began to show up and feel what she was feeling. The meditation really helped with this. [08:50] We can be so judgemental which takes us down a spiral of self-judgment and hate and destroy our entire experience of life. [10:31] Embracing this was a journey for Rena that took six or seven years. [11:51] Rena teaches leadership but in her heart she focuses on middle management. [13:19] Rena started writing down all of the things she was doing and how she could do them better. [13:57] Good management and leadership is about repetition and continuity. [16:21] Rena is dedicated to eliminating fear and replacing it with compassion coupled with accountability. [21:42] Rena teaches how to transform an HBOS into compassion for another person. People remember how you make them feel. [22:35] Rena's company is Management for Millennials. She is committed to building a group of compassion based ambassadors, so fear-based management will be a thing of the past. [24:54] Fear is what stops us from fully showing up as ourselves in our lives. [31:05] Helping people becoming more compassionate makes the world a better place. [32:41] Rena tells a story about a client who was completely resistant, and then made a shift and completely changed her life. They are still friends today. [36:24] As a fun work exercise, Rena has clients write down what they don't like about themselves. [37:29] It's important to get quiet and connect with yourself and not judge yourself. [38:52] We aren't our critics. [40:03] One of the hardest things for us to do is have compassion for ourselves. [43:10] Rena tells a story about her turning point about compassion in the workplace after being told to lay off 20% of a workforce. [45:55] We do work for something either money or satisfaction or hopefully both. [46:34] Rena shares her TEDx Talk process. It was a big accomplishment for her. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/10027829

Humanize the Digitized with Kate O'Neill 05/28/2019

Humanize the Digitized with Kate O'Neill Whether we are talking about marketing or automation, the human side of things is still relevant and important. We are so excited to have Kate O’Neill on today’s show to talk about humanizing the digital world. Kate is the creator and CEO of and an in demand keynote speaker. She is the author of and . She is driven by curiosity and passion and has had an amazing career journey. She studied language and music, created Toshiba’s Intranet, was among the first 100 employees at Netflix, started an agency, became an entrepreneur, and went viral talking about the 10 year challenge and face recognition. This is an amazing interview where Kate shares how technology and humans intersect. We talk about fostering a human connection, how small businesses can use automation, upcoming technological opportunities, and so much more. Show Notes [06:16] Kate was a language major. She was working on her undergrad work when the web came about. She built the website for the University of Chicago Language Lab. [06:57] This was one of the first departmental websites, and she was noticed by a recruiter at Toshiba where she ended up building their intranet. [07:14] She ended up moving to Silicon Valley, and she was one of the first 100 employees of Netflix. She helped build a lot of e-commerce standards that were new at the time. [07:42] She was still set on working in tech, but she moved to Nashville for songwriting. Music was always a part of her passion. [08:45] In college, she majored in German, because she was interested in a UN interpreting career. [10:32] In early jobs, she left the roles after she felt like she had done all she needed to do. [12:45] Kate is now the founder and CEO of KO Insights where she focuses on writing and speaking. Prior to that she had a an agency called Meta Marketer. [14:15] At KO Insights she is trying to create more meaningful human experiences at scale. She wants to reach as many leaders as possible and get them thinking in new ways to leverage data and technology to create more meaningful human experiences. [16:43] It was a natural progression for Kate to get to talk to different groups and companies and be in front of their leadership and bring them new thoughts and help them think in new ways. [17:50] Kate's work and income is almost entirely speaking, but she does speak about strategy. She also writes books and articles. [18:27] Having her books and place helps her articulate what her vision is and what she is putting forward into the business marketplace. [18:56] The strategy that she does when she partners with other companies is mostly research for her writing. [20:25] Kate spoke at the Amsterdam Economic Board about technology and AI. She introduced a concept called the tech human metropolis of the future. [22:20] Automation is really about applying an automated system to anything. It can be software or robots or any type of automation. There are levels of sophistication and relevance that would apply to a small business such as autoresponders or chatbots. [23:15] The key with a small business just like a big business is to keep the human in focus. The people you are interacting with is who you are supposed to be creating these experiences for. [25:58] It helps to step back a level and think about your customer, employee, or whoever as a human. [27:06] Kate shares an example of how Starbucks mobile app is a really good example of human design. [29:20] Another great example is the New York Snapchat Spectacles campaign. [31:19] Local brands also have the opportunity to partner with local media and do things that are really innovative. [32:51] The meaning of place and understanding how community comes to life. Find what is meaningful about your organization or university. Think how place affects what you are offering. [36:29] Technology always feels like it's changing fast, and it's going to keep changing faster. [39:17] The future is about the decisions that you make every day. Educate yourself as much as you can and feel empowered to make good decisions and embrace the future. [44:24] The driving theme of Kate's career has to do with meaning and human connection. She is interested in how technology fosters human connection. [46:01] We encode ourselves into machines, and we determine the values and biases. [46:31] Experience at scale is culture. [50:28] We need to be thinking about how we can make businesses align with good human outcomes. [53:44] There is never going to be a shortage of API opportunities, because there is too much potential for monetary rewards. [59:36] Kate had a crush of media exposure in January of 2019. Her book was featured at CES. She tweeted about how data used in the 10-year challenge could be used as data for training facial recognition. Then she wrote a Wired article about it, and that went viral. [01:02:39] If you are asked to participate in sharing your information in a specific way, that could be a red flag. Links and Resources: (Register with the code Localiq for 50% off) Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9915509

Things to Teach & Do with C.C. Chapman 05/21/2019

Things to Teach & Do with C.C. Chapman We live in a time where technology has enabled us to work and do more than ever before. We are also at a point in history where business is about more than the bottom line. We are so excited to have C.C. Chapman on the show. C.C. has an amazing story of versatile work experience and taking his life full circle from technology and marketing to social entrepreneurship and then to his main passion of teaching. C.C. is a storyteller, educator, and digital marketing expert. He also had a life changing experience in Ghana where he realized that he wanted to focus on doing good. He shares how business is evolving, and he talks about social entrepreneurship, innovation, and the triple bottom-line philosophy. We talk about companies measuring their success by people, planet, or profit. We also talk about ways that small businesses can give back to their local communities. This is truly an inspiring episode. Show Notes: [05:20] C.C. is from New England. In college he was interested in marketing, but thought there were no jobs, so he focused on computer science. [05:44] Then he came full circle and moved back to New England and starting getting into technology and marketing. He started blogging in 2002. He started podcasting in 2004. He kept trying things. [06:31] He started and sold a marketing agency. He's an author and a photographer. He's always chased his heart first. He went to Ghana and realized that he wanted to use his skills for good rather than selling things. [06:55] He started focusing on social good and social entrepreneurship and then discovered that he had a love of teaching. He became an adjunct professor at Bentley University and now at Wheaton College. [08:28] Going to Ghana changed C.C. He saw malnourished children, and knew that he had to do more with the skills that he had. [10:37] He brought his camera on the trip, and it was his job to share what he sees. [11:30] Life is full of fears. He's learned to deal with uncomfortableness throughout his career, and he's glad he made the career changes that he had made to focus on social good. [12:58] A big part of entrepreneurship is being able to push through the fear. [15:59] Wheaton College has a new business and management major and it's one of the most popular majors. [16:30] Too many people think that being an entrepreneur means you have to start your own business, and it has to be earth-shattering. [17:42] Things C.C. keeps learning from his students include the new slang and that the young people haven't truly been prepared for the world that they were entering. [18:53] Social entrepreneurship and innovation has a triple bottom-line philosophy. You can measure your company's success by people, planet, or profit. [20:42] People like to buy from businesses that care about more than just the bottom line. [24:20] Small businesses can help the community in small ways like funding a local sports team or helping the local church. [25:19] Small businesses can also find ways to support other small businesses. This is giving back, because it helps your community as well. [29:34] The younger generations are definitely on board with social entrepreneurship, but it's something that all generations are interested in. [31:35] Technology has made entrepreneurship much easier. [32:48] From a marketing perspective, it's important to share what you support. You can talk about it in a way that isn't tooting your own horn. [36:25] Being a full-time visiting instructor takes up a lot of C.C.'s time. He is working on another book. [37:59] No matter what era, C.C. would always be teaching. [40:12] Stay up-to-date on current events that affect your customers. Pay attention to what your customers care about, because they're out there talking about you and your brand. Links and Resources: (Register with the code Localiq for 50% off) Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9862799

Mindful of Mental Health with Jimmy Westerheim 05/14/2019

Mindful of Mental Health with Jimmy Westerheim Being a leader that encourages the physical and mental health of their team is what today’s guest is all about. Jimmy Westerheim is the creator of The Human Aspect which is the world’s first life experience library. Jimmy has overcome childhood issues and a devastating injury by learning what it means to be human. This questions has been top of mind for him since he was a child. By creating an authentic library of people’s real life experiences and how they overcame or lived with hardship has taught Jimmy that we are more alike than we are different. On this episode, Jimmy shares his own story and his unique approach to leadership, team building, running a business, and being more human. This is a really unique approach to what unites us more than what divides us. Show Notes [09:31] Jimmy is joining us from Oslo, Norway. [10:13] He was born into a working class family. He grew up an hour south of Oslo. [11:09] When he was 13, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. [12:12] He was saved by sports, because it's the only place where they don't care who you are. [12:43] He went to an Athlete's College in Norway. [13:10] He tried training to be the equivalent of a Norway Navy SEAL. He ended up being a diver for the Coast Guard. [14:32] He then spent seven years working for a shipping company. [15:13] He would take a month off and travel the world. He did volunteer work with people which was closer to his heart. [17:18] He wanted to do something different, and he started working for Doctors Without Borders. He was 27, and went to Afghanistan for a year. [20:11] One of his first real questions was how to deal with his back injury when there wasn't any help for it. He used to be an athlete and, now he couldn't be one. [20:53] This is where he came up with the idea for The Human Aspect Library and The Digital Mental Health Tool. [22:28] Jimmy is fortunate to share a story that is so real and so inspirational. [23:18] The Human Aspect is behind the world's first Digital Life Experience Library. It consists of interviews from people from all over the world. [23:33] People share their life's toughest challenge in detail, and how they either overcame it or how they live with it. [24:10] They also share what they've learned to help people who may be in the middle of a similar challenge. [25:48] Jimmy has had a natural ability to get people to open up. [26:51] Sharing your story can be very empowering. [27:12] Psychologists all over the world and the University of Oslo are using The Human Aspect. [28:27] The Human Aspect is the answer. The challenges we face and how we overcome those truly decide the presets that will be dominant in our personalities. [32:42] Oftentimes, large companies lack the human part of caring for mental and physical health. [34:36] The most important thing a leader can do is create a culture that cares about your employee,s life as a whole. [37:13] It's important for teams to care about each other everyday. [43:05] As a leader, expect your employees to share and then do everything in your power to help them out. [51:23] Jimmy's success factor is authenticity. That's what makes him a leader. [53:32] We are more connected but less human-to-human connected, and that's the key element why human mental health statistics have gone up. [54:48] What will make us win over the robots is being more human. [57:01] When you go from a manager to a leader, you truly can create synergies. You have to lead by example. [01:00:47] Take time to sit with your employees and ask them when they seem a little off. Be vulnerable and share something about yourself. Explain why you are doing things or using tools to get better results. Set the tone with stories about your own life. [01:03:43] Ask open ended questions. [01:06:13] It's not easy to do these things in practice. Trust that eventually the human way of managing will be better. Links and Resources: Use Code Localiq for 50% off Registration Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9769076

AI & U with Dennis Mortensen 05/07/2019

AI & U with Dennis Mortensen Dennis Mortensen is the CEO and co-founder of x.ai. Originally from Denmark, he is an expert in leveraging data to solve enterprise use cases and a serial entrepreneur who has successfully exited several companies. His long term vision of killing the inbox led to the formation of x.ai and the creation of Amy and Andrew; artificial intelligent assistants who schedule meetings. Dennis is passionate about his project and will speak frequently to anyone who will listen to him speak about the future and productivity gains from using AI. Andre and Dennis have been friends since they spent time together at Yahoo! several years ago. Dennis built several technology companies from his start in 1996 until 2013, exiting his companies at the most opportune times. His history in technology has continued to his journey in AI starting in 2014. Dennis is a data lover at heart - so much so that he has stored over 25 years of emails on a cloud server. His passion for technology has now continued into ai.x, an affordable artificial intelligence software, perfect for small businesses, which schedule your events and meetings. Show Notes [02:45] The “short version” on what brought Dennis to New York and his start with his first internet company in 1996. [05:10] When Dennis first started x.ai on April 14th, 2014 at 5:03pm. [06:18] Dennis still has every email he has ever sent in his entire life on the cloud! [07:48] Impetus and spark behind Dennis starting x.ai. [08:52] What is your “List of Hate”? [12:02] The UI final frontier: talking to our computers. [15:29] Dennis walks listeners through the user experience with Amy and Andrew. [21:05] Types of clients Dennis is looking for and famous success stories of x.ai which works especially well for small business owners. [24:33] What types of personality does Amy and Andrew have in their AI brain? [26:03] What’s the next stage for Dennis and x.ai? [30:15] Dennis’ pivot in changing from venture capital to taking an investment in a growing business venture. [32:31] The best day at x.ai for Dennis. [34:38] Why you shouldn’t put all your personal value into your company’s success. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9688208

Level-Up Your LinkedIn Game with Amber Naslund 04/30/2019

Level-Up Your LinkedIn Game with Amber Naslund LinkedIn has gone through a recent renaissance where it is the go to place for people to talk about business with a like minded community. In fact, Tracy is a big fan of LinkedIn, and we have the perfect person here today to talk about it. Amber Naslund is a senior content marketing evangelist at LinkedIn. She consults with LinkedIn business customers on building and executing high-performing content marketing strategies. Amber has 20 years of digital marketing and content creation under her belt. She is a keynote speaker, co-author of , and has advised small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Today, we talk about what Amber does at LinkedIn, how she got there, strategies for getting the most out of the platform, and how people expect authenticity from real people. Show Notes [03:44] Amber is a consultant who works with a lot of LinkedIn's largest customers to help them navigate the world of content marketing. [05:07] She travels the country and helps companies workshop with some of their greatest challenges. [06:06] She works with clients all over the country, but she's also part of the sales support system. [06:57] Businesses frequently want to know how to use LinkedIn at scale with their available resources. [07:33] Amber finds ways to help businesses scale their existing content and build new content in a smart way. [07:48] She also answers questions about the intersection between paid and organic media. [08:21] She helps advertisers understand that content needs to be an important part of their strategy. [08:50] Content marketing can still be intimidating to people, so part of Amber's job is to demystify that. [09:33] LinkedIn is Tracy's favorite platform. There are people on LinkedIn talking about what's happening in our society, culture, and world. [10:36] LinkedIn has played the long game for a long time. It's a place to have a business-focused community without all of the usual noise. [11:22] Content is really the lifeblood of what makes a social network work. [15:50] The idea is to reward and engage truly provocative content. Once your content gets traction, it snowballs. [17:06] They want the community to step outside their circles and see content. [18:27] There is great content on LinkedIn without the noise. [20:30] Think about other perspectives besides just your profession. You can contribute more business information than just marketing your brand. [23:10] There is room for both a company page and a personal profile. There are cool new functions on company pages. [24:30] Having your own profile can be a multifaceted personal network with more reach than a brand reach. [27:59] The only way to know the best time to post is by testing. There is no such thing as universal content. It depends on specific variables. [29:26] Choose something that feels authentic to you and try things. Be consistent and really pay attention to what your customers are asking for. [30:59] A company page can't content on stuff. Engage in the content that you want to engage with. Don't do it just to promote your business. Take a stroll through your feed and share what moves you. [33:40] It's fulfilling to show up as yourself. [36:27] People appreciate it when people are real. [37:15] Part of the reason that Amber shares real things is that she gets support, and it also helps people. [41:10] People want to understand what companies stand for to know if they want to align with them or not. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9573185

Risky Business: How to Avoid It with Melissa Agnes 04/23/2019

Being Real in an Unreal World with Ted Rubin 04/16/2019

Being Real in an Unreal World with Ted Rubin Ted Rubin is a leading social media strategist, keynote speaker, brand evangelist, CMO, and author. In 2009, he started using and evangelizing the term ROR, Return on Relationship, hashtag #RonR and released a book by the same name in 2013. He has a background in sales and marketing and preaches the importance of putting relationships and customer experience back into marketing. Andre and Ted have been friends for about 10 years, and this is a fun episode where Ted shares his no holds barred opinion on what stores are doing right, what they are doing wrong, and why unsubscribe really needs to mean unsubscribe. We talk about building authentic, building relationships, being vulnerable, the future of retail, what it’s like being a divorced dad, and more on this episode. Show Notes [03:41] Ted has spent most of his career as a CMO, social media marketer, and senior marketer. [04:18] When Ted first got out of college, he worked in sales as a stockbroker. His father was also in sales, and his father taught him about relationships. [06:21] When selling you want to get to know the person. It's easy to do that digitally now. [07:08] A brand is what a person does, a reputation is what people remember and share. Ted's dad taught him this and to always be himself. [11:28] Share what happens in your life, and you will have no shortage of content. [12:12] People will know you for who you are and showing your vulnerabilities. [14:28] Without using trackers, you would be amazed about how many people follow you. [16:17] You build a bigger presence by putting content out there and putting it out there regularly. [17:52] Social media is the ultimate in permission marketing. [19:21] Attention spans are going up for quality content. [23:13] Customer service at its root is relationship building. [25:40] Bots can give you a quick response, but they still need work. [26:09] Customer experience with marketing makes a difference. Don't bang people over the head. [31:56] Pay attention and bring back the right information at the right time. [32:42] Build a relationship and create content that people want to engage with. Do it at the right place at the right time. [33:40] The dinosaurs of retail are dying. [34:50] Warby Parker has a great retail and online experience. [36:38] Retail isn't disappearing, it's just changing. [41:44] Walmart is experimenting and trying things. The Jet acquisition wasn't a great idea. [43:11] There is a large percentage of Walmart customers that don't have bank accounts and pay with cash. [44:26] A lot of companies need to keep their sales and numbers up, and they end up digging big holes. [45:41] In under 10 years, there will be no one driving cars and parking lots will be accessible. [46:51] Know you customers and treat the special. [47:12] Let people know who you are and what you care about. Put yourself in your customers shoes. Start creating content everyday. Local search is driven by photos. [48:09] Use Photofy to let your employees help make branded photos and create content at scale. [48:54] Start being real and conversing with people and actually listening to what they say. [50:24] Before going to meetings look on social media and see what people are doing. Links and Resources: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode. /episode/index/show/localiq/id/9416003

Work from Happy with Marcy Massura 04/09/2019

Future-Proof Your Business with Jeremy Goldman 04/02/2019

Counting on Accounting with Rob Ganer 03/26/2019

Crush Your Content with Julian Placino 03/19/2019

The Growth Lab by LOCALiQ

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