Purpose & Profitability

Ever wonder how you can take your performance to the next level? Or develop your leadership skills to attract and retain top talent or take your business to the next level? In this episode, we explore the value of professional development services, such as training, coaching, consulting, mentorship, and mastermind groups. In your personal life, these services can help you achieve a greater sense of well-being, impact, and quality of life. In business, your focus may be higher growth and increased profits. Our guest, Scott Landis, helps us explore this topic and shares about his newest endeavor, the Awakened Man Mastermind.

Let me know if you need anything else. Thank you for all that you do to prep and post the podcast!

Why is the topic of succession and exit of a business one of the 5 keys to scaling a business? You’ll have to tune in to find out. But in short, the preparation it takes to exit a business takes years to do well. Unfortunately, most don’t so that is why only 30% of businesses make it to the 2nd generation. When planned and executed well creates the foundation for the business to scale. This topic is coincidentally appropriate to the transition of this very podcast. Another teaser that you will need to tune into to find out more. Great things ahead!

Many businesses struggle with marketing when it doesn’t have to be that way. In order to put together a strong marketing strategy you need to understand the fundamentals of what marketing is all about and the key principles that all successful marketers employ. Once you understand the fundamentals and principles of marketing can then become simple for you to develop and execute. Listen to this episode.

When it comes to building your business for sustainable growth a lot of attention is paid to marketing, sales, equipment, software, manufacturing, new channels of distribution and more. These are strategies and infrastructure improvements that will help the business grow. But how much attention is paid to the most important resource that is the key to sustaining that growth? You as the leader. Are you doing the right things that will grow the company. You’re heard the phrase, Get the right people on the bus in the right seats by Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great. But what about getting the Right Leader in the Right Seat? I’m not advocating changing leaders. What I’m saying is to make sure the leader is focused on doing the right things and let get rid of everything else. In this episode, we will discuss what you as the leader need to consider to build a solid team that will take your business to the next level of growth.

Many employed people and even business owners are contemplating or have started a side hustle to earn a little more cash. This concept is not knew but the terminology and promotion is becoming more commonplace. Some of the advertisements and promotions of side hustle businesses make it seem easy but there are some dangers to watch out for as you embark on this side hustle journey. This episodes explores the dangers of the side hustle and some possible solutions to creating a solid source of additional revenue.

Long term success of your business and brand starts in the beginning with your Go To Market Strategies which isn’t necessarily your marketing strategy.

So, whether you’re in startup mode, launching a new initiative or struggling with a current one, you may need to refine your go to market strategy after listening to this interview with My guest Susan Schramm of Go To Market Impact LLC.

Key #2 of 5 to Scaling Your Business- Have fun with numbers by Robert Fukui

These are the same principles and steps I use to help my clients grow their business and goes beyond marketing, sales, systems, etc. Key #1 to scaling your business has everything to do with you as the owner. Yes, you are Key #1.

Many businesses learn their marketing approach through trial and error. While it is true that we can all learn from our mistakes, it’s also pretty cool if we can learn without the mistakes. Of course, you can never fully prevent mistakes, but it is possible to put knowledge on your side and learn from someone else’s mistakes. This episode I share some of the marketing insights I’ve gained over 25 years as a marketing professional and consultant and how I continually stay up on my game....which can benefit all business owners.

As business owners, we tend to live by the motto “the customer is always right.” We bend over backwards for our customers to make sure they have a positive experience so they return and hopefully tell their friends and family. This is a good rule of thumb but are there times where you may need to "fire" your customer, or say no? Sometimes if you say “yes” to one customer, it may have negative effects on at least two other customers. So by trying to please everyone, you may be pleasing no one. The key is to please the right customers. Click to listen to this lively conversation and hear some solutions about pleasing the right people with my returning guest, Allan Gray.

WARNING for perfectionist and planners, this episode may make you squeemish!

This is the secret weapon to business success. There are all kinds of books, blogs, webinars and podcast that talk about various business growth concepts that revolve around marketing, leadership, and management but not a whole lot on this topic of the Pivot. All the topics mentioned require some level of planning. But the Pivot does not require planning. It relies on the owner and leadership to react properly when things don’t go according to plan. Yes, sometimes plans don’t go according to...well...plan. Shocking I know. So the Power of the Pivot is the secret weapon to business success. Click and listen to this powerful interview with Allan Gray of NuVision Kingdom Life Center.

Business owners are excited when starting their business and go through a series of highs and lows of operating and building it for success. While planning for business success is always top of mind, only a few plan for an exit until it’s too late. Only 30% of all first generation businesses successfully transfer it to the next. Primarily because they start planning their exit too late not realizing what’s involved and what’s at stake. So listen to this episode where I interview Pat Ennis of Ennis Legacy Partners who have helped businesses plan and execute successful exits since 2010.

In this episode we’re going to pepper you with various thoughts around marketing that can help you be more successful in your efforts. From social media, SEO, web design, writing good content, or choosing a good agency, you never know what topic we hit on that will help you out. Ready, set, click to listen!

Many married couples do not want to mix business with pleasure. Doing business with your spouse is a disaster waiting to happen...or so they say. But if done right, not only can the marriage survive, it can thrive with your business benefiting as well. Take a listen as my wife, Kay Lee, and I interview the power couple of Jerome and Kelly Leonard of Taylor-Leonard Corporation.

Unlock the great leader that you are called to be. In honor of presidents day, let’s look at the makeup of a great leader and see what type you fall in. In researching great leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, it is clear that great leaders are not cookie cutter like. They come in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. So let this encourage you as you have what it takes to be a great leader. Listen in to this President’s Day special.

Many entrepreneurs are independent by nature. They have a hard time conforming into a 9 to 5 office type environment and reporting to other people. So being a business owner makes sense because they are free to create and do what they want to do. While this works well for the most part, it does have its limitations.

This sense of independence also carries with it a sense of going alone. The entrepreneur typically feels like they have to do it all by themselves which may be why the business is not growing as big and fast as it could be.

Take a listen to this episode as we share how “going alone” may be holding your business back.

Can being too busy actually limit the growth of your business? Busy is what all business owners strive to be, right? Busy with serving right customers yes but many times the business owner is busy doing a lot of things like handling a lot of duties that are not necessarily productive for the business. And even when the business is busy with customers, sometimes it’s not the right type of customers. Tune in this week and listen what this all means and what you can do to correct your busyness and grow your business.

What Prevents Growth Series - Limited Thinking by Robert Fukui

Want to reach your goals for 2019? Why not come up with one word that can be the theme for the year that you live out in business and in life. Better than a New Years resolution, one word is easy to remember, to follow and live up to. Something that you can live out everyday that can make a big impact over the course of the year. It’s simple and can keep you focused. Tune is as I discuss my One Word and how you should come up with one as well.

As an entrepreneur you most likely set a variety of goals for the year and beyond. Sometimes you achieve them, sometimes you don’t. But how often do you celebrate those successes? If you’re like me, once you achieve one set of goals, its on to the next one. This New Year’s Eve special, we talk about the importance of celebrating even the smallest of achievements. You’ve accomplished much in 2018, it’s time to Celebrate!

A Christmas present for you entrepreneurs. It takes a lot of faith and hope to be an entrepreneur. You have to take an idea and develop a profitable venture without guarantees. So how do you maintain having a positive outlook in the face of adversity or challenges in your business? Listen in as Eric and I talk about ways to maintain your faith that your business will be better in 2019 then it was this year or years past.

The new year is upcoming so it’s time to make those resolutions and/or goals for 2019. As entrepreneurs, you may not set any new year’s resolutions, that tend to be broken within the first three weeks of the year anyway, you should still set goals for your business. But how do you set goals that aren’t too easy yet not so aggressive that they feel impossible to achieve? Listen in this week as we discuss how to set strong goals for 2019 and achieve them.

The act of giving is not simply a good thing to do morally, socially and spiritually. It actually has many other benefits personally and in business. Most likely you’ve heard the ancient proverb, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” Well, this week we will talk about the various types of blessings you do receive when you give. Tune in this week for another Christmas season special.

Giving thanks in all things and circumstances is important for your long term success. You see, the most successful are resilient and don’t let the challenges in life and business weigh them down. But how do you stay positive when sales are down and/or threats in the economy are creating stress on your business? Giving thanks for the things that you do have and the things that are going well creates a positive attitude that keeps your head clear and allow you to find creative solutions to any circumstance. Tune in this week to hear our discussion on the secret weapon to having a successful business.

One way of creating a healthy culture is to prevent sexual and physical abuse. I'ts important in all walks of life and business. The headlines are full of allegations, arrests and lawsuits regarding sexual and sometimes physical misconduct in the workplace, schools, and other organizations. Listen as I interview my first international guest, Paty Anaya from Mexico City, as she shares about the work she does to prevent violence against women. From high school students to inmates, she helps them all. Prevention programs like hers can save your business lots of money in lawsuits and goodwill with your customers and employees.

A commonly overlooked area of growth for business is that of leadership. While marketing, finance, production, customer service are all important areas that can fuel growth in the business, the quality of its leadership determines its direction and limitations. Join me with my special guest Chuck Proudfit founder and president of Skillsource as we delve into this important topic so that you can take your business to the next level.

Learn the difference of, how, when and why to use one or the other in your marketing strategy. When thinking about marketing, many think about the advertising side of it where you are selling your product on print, video or digital media. Problem with always advertising is people will eventually tune out. Branding is a more powerful way of marketing that can capture people’s attention for the long term. Which in ultimately leads to greater sales. Tune in this week to learn the difference and implement into your marketing strategy.

Operating your business in a way that makes a positive impact in ways besides profit has been gaining momentum over the last couple decades. Tom’s Shoes, for example, is one of the original social enterprise companies to publicly display how a business can make money and do good at the same time. That’s being Purpose Led. But there are still many businesses that just look at social entrepreneurship or purpose led businesses a merely a marketing tool or a way of doing business that limits the profit potential of a business. In this episode, we’ll discuss and illustrate that having a purpose led business can actually drive bigger profits. Tune in and listen in to our discussion.

Vision casting for a business is very important to set the direction of the organization. Yet very few actually set a vision and write it down. This week, Eric and I shed light on what a vision statement actually is, the important role it lays on setting the course for the business and how it can be the catalyst for growth.

Whenever talking on the subject of business growth, we often talk about marketing and sales as the keys to growth. But what about we as the business owners as the key to growth? Many times we are our own limitations when it comes to that subject. So take a listen as Eric and I discuss how to overcome our own limitations.

This week’s episode focuses on service based businesses like consultants, coaches, restaurants, auto mechanics, financial advisors, lawyers, accountants, etc. The marketing principles we discussed last week still apply but some of the nuances in those strategies differ a little. So tune in as Eric and I discuss marketing strategies that work for your service business.

I often get asked what type of marketing strategy is best. My answer is always, “the one that works.” It’s somewhat tongue in cheek but it’s also a true statement. The next question is, “which one works?” Well, the answer is actually much simpler than you might think. Tune in as we discuss what marketing strategy is best for your business.

If you’re a business owner and married than you need to tune in to this week’s episode. Whether you realize it or not or admit it or not, having your spouse take some role in the business will improve the success of it. When I say role, I mean more than just as an administrator but at minimum, “chief counsel.” The spouse doesn’t necessarily have to actively work in the business to do this either. Listen in as I dig into this topic with my special guest.

The Importance of a BHAG for Your Business by Robert Fukui

One of the major reasons why businesses struggle financially is that they don’t charge what they’re worth. They may have “strategic” reasons why they charge less but the bottom line is that they’re afraid customers won’t pay what they’re worth. Listen in as we talk about symptoms of not charging the right price and how to overcome the fear of charging the higher price that you’re worth and the benefits of doing so.

We've all heard the expression, Think Outside the Box when talking about being creative and innovative. Well, I'd like to start the phrase THINK INSIDE THE BOX. Why? Because the fact of the matter is, we all face some constraints that we can't change. So true innovation happens when we come up with solutions with the boundaries we need to operate in. So listen in as Eric and I THINK INSIDE THE BOX!

Anyone that has to get in front of the decision maker to sell their product/service understands the term, gatekeeper. That’s the assistant, wife, manager, or even a physical gate, that is the barrier between the decision maker and your sales presentation. Sometimes it’s just a matter even knowing who to talk to. So this episode discusses overcoming those barriers that will allow you access to the right people for you to make that sales call.

Sometimes what holds us back from starting or growing our business is ourselves. If you’re a perfectionist like me, all your i’s must be dotted, t’s crossed, business plan checked and rechecked and on and on it goes. Guarantee of success is what we perfectionists need. But we all know that nothing is guaranteed no matter how solid the business plan appears. This episodes will look to help cure perfectionism so that you can move your business forward. Take a listen!

Lack of capital seems to be a common barrier for many who want to start a business. This week, we discuss a variety of ways for businesses in a variety of industries to start with what they have. In fact, many of the largest companies around have started by bootstrapping their business. Tune in to hear who they were and how they did it.

Why do so many people dread Mondays? The start of the work week. Imagine what would happen if people looked forward to Mondays? I believe we’d be happier and more productive as individuals. And as business owners, you’d infect your staff with that same productive attitude. Let’s start a revolution. Let’s start a Monday Mindshift! Tune in and get on board.

Yes, you do have something valuable in your business to protect whether you realize it or not. Take a listen to my interview with Jerome Fogel of Fogel LLP as he discusses the ins and outs of intellectual property and how an I.P. strategy can help build your brand and increase its value.

Many businesses are looking to improve sales, profits, organizational models, etc. which likely means making some meaningful changes. The question then comes up, when will we see results? Great question that I attempt to answer on this episode. Warning: Don’t quit too soon.

The need to access capital to start or grow a business is a common issue I hear for many businesses. It’s the thing they need to start or go to the next level. In this podcast, I discuss the sure fire way to get the capital your business needs to start or grow. Tune in.

Entrepreneurs are always faced with making tough business decisions. Some work out, some don’t. The decisions that don’t work out are often made out of fear. Fear of failure or fear of success. Knowing when your decision is being made out of fear and what type of fear it is vs one made out of peace will make a big impact in future decision making. Tune in to find out how to Fear Not!

Having customers that love doing business with you is obviously great for business. Repeat customers are the lifeblood for most any business. So how do you do it effectively? A great product and service is a good start but you don’t always have to have the best product out there if your customer service rocks. Listen as Eric and I discuss simple ways to build customer loyalty.

As you’re building your business, one of the hardest things to do is make a plan and stay the course. When you don’t see a quick return on your investment and marketing dollar, most are quick to change course. Being impatient and changing course too soon can cost you thousands of dollars in lost revenue and increased expenses. So how do you know when to stay the course and when to make a change? Tune in as I discuss.

We always hear how we should always be improving our business by fixing what's not working. How do you do that if you don't work on our weaknesses? Listen as my co-host Eric Yun and I discuss how to grow your business without fixing your weaknesses.