Interviews with CEOs and Entrepreneurs about the frameworks they are using to build and scale their businesses.
Episodes
Monday Jul 12, 2021
Monday Jul 12, 2021
Andrew Rinaldi is the co-founder of Defendify, an all-in-one cybersecurity platform specifically built for organizations without in-house security teams. He is also the founding partner of Steady Vision, one of Boston’s oldest full-service digital agencies. We talk about cybersecurity for small businesses, organizational alignment, and the benefits of layered security systems.
Timestamps
[00:48] Andrew’s entrepreneurial journey
[01:50] Andrew’s transition from digital marketing into cybersecurity
[03:20] Cybersecurity for small businesses
[05:20] The availability of cybersecurity systems for small businesses
[07:20] Top 3 internet security threats faced by small businesses
[09:10] Dissecting the benefits of layered security systems
[10:50] Why are cybercriminals always a step ahead?
[13:40] Common types of cyberattacks and how to prevent them
[15:40] Ransomware explained: How it works and how to counter it
[16:55] Andrew’s experience with management blueprints
[18:20] Defendify’s vision and mission statements
[20:25] The unique aspects of Defendify’s cybersecurity platform
[22:11] The benefits of organizational alignment
[23:15] How to develop a cybersecurity plan for your business
[26:53] The advantages of using a password manager
Links and Resources
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Gail Doby and Erin Weir are the co-founders of Gail Doby Coaching and Consulting, a consulting company that helps interior designers build thriving and fulfilling businesses. Gail is also the author of Business Breakthrough: Your Creative Value Blueprint to Get Paid What You’re Worth. We talk about entrepreneurship for interior designers, why you need system integrators for your business, and creating a long-term vision for your business.
Timestamps
[00:50] Gail’s entrepreneurial journey
[02:25] Entrepreneurship for interior designers
[04:10] Cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset
[05:15] Business models and system integrators
[07:20] Gail’s transition from interior design into entrepreneurship
[09:07] How to check if your business idea is sustainable
[12:16] How to build and execute an effective coaching program
[15:28] Entrepreneurship and management in the creative industry
[18:56] Coaching and consulting for creative business owners
[20:45] Dissecting the Gail Doby coaching program
[22:50] How to create a long-term vision for your business
[24:45] Gail’s experience with management blueprints
Links and Resources
Gail’s new book: Business Breakthrough
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Jon Tsourakis is the President and Chief Revenue Officer at Oyova, a national marketing and application development agency. He is also the founder and president of Central Comp, an ancillary services provider helping TPAs and self-insured employers offer the best care at the best price. We talk about digital marketing strategies, personalizing marketing campaigns, and consistently creating value for your customers.
Timestamps
[01:02] Jon’s entrepreneurial journey
[01:56] How to overcome post-merger integration challenges
[04:23] Jon’s experience with management blueprints
[05:20] Implementing EOS for healthy business growth
[07:20] Practical tips for growing a successful business
[09:01] How to get your business in front of potential customers
[10:34] Managing and leveraging social media use for your business
[12:45] The best business marketing strategies in 2021
[15:04] The future of marketing; predictions and trends for 2021 and beyond
[16:40] How to effectively personalize your marketing campaigns
[17:45] Leadership and team-building
[20:05] How to strategically scale your sales process
[25:40] How to find and target your social media audience
[26:45] B2B marketing strategies for small businesses
[31:15] Pros and cons of inbound marketing
[34:07] How to consistently create value for your customers
Links and Resources
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jun 21, 2021
Monday Jun 21, 2021
Julio Gonzalez is the CEO and Founder of Engineered Tax Services, the country’s largest specialty tax engineering firm specializing in the preservation of wealth through IRS engineering-based services. He is also the CEO of Growth Partnership, the only full-service multi-disciplinary consulting firm serving accounting professionals. We talk about tax engineering, tax incentives for small to medium-sized businesses, and work opportunity tax credits.
Timestamps
[01:13] Julio’s entrepreneurial journey
[04:09] How to set up tax-efficient structures for small to medium-sized businesses
[07:02] Julio’s experience with management blueprints
[10:01] Tax engineering and its effect on small businesses
[13:05] Tax incentives for real estate investing
[16:40] Money-saving tax strategies for small businesses
[20:10] Understanding the research and development tax credit
[22:17] Energy tax credits for small to medium-sized businesses
[23:54] Payback periods for energy-efficient investing
[25:30] Dissecting work opportunity tax credits
[26:50] How the work opportunity tax credit can help your small business
[28:06] How to take advantage of multiple tax incentives
[29:40] Tax disputes resolution and controversy services
Links and Resources
The Growth Partnership website
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Chelle Johnson is a seasoned career and talent leader, strategist and coach with over 20 years of experience with medium-sized to fortune 50 companies. She is also the founder and CEO of Best You Career Advantage, an online visionary career coaching service that supports clients through all stages of career search and development. We talk about attracting the best talents, the benefits of emotional onboarding, and creating a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and belonging.
Timestamps
[00:50] Chelle’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:23] Why talent acquisition is vital for business success
[04:26] Talent acquisition strategies, processes, and best practices
[05:35] Private Employer Organizations and how they can help your business
[06:34] Interview tools and how to improve your onboarding process
[08:45] How to create a culture of belonging
[11:50] The benefits of emotional onboarding
[13:11] What today's employees expect from their employer
[14:40] How to attract and retain top talents for your business
[17:35] The highly effective ways to build connections with your employees
[19:15] How to collect and analyze employee feedback
[20:50] Chelle’s experience with management blueprints
[23:12] Essential elements of a powerful story brand
[25:20] Using social responsibility to attract top talents
[31:21] An overview of workplace diversity, inclusion, and belonging
Links and Resources
The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
The Power of Moments by Chip Heath
Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Sheila Farragher-Gemma is the President of FarGem Corp and owner of Connected Sponsor, a sales and marketing company that helps clients maximize sponsorship opportunities through creative lead generation. She is also a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits in real estate, child services, office supplies, and networking. We talk about finding and managing strategic sponsors, the profitable sale of a business, and why companies fail to attract and retain strategic sponsors and partners.
Timestamps
[00:44] Sheila’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:25] How companies developed thriving work-from-home strategies pre-Covid
[03:28] What is a Lean Startup?
[04:10] How Sheila successfully built, scaled, and profitably sold multiple businesses
[07:10] Strategic partnerships and leveraging opportunities through Connected Sponsors
[08:32] How strategic partnerships can help leverage business growth
[10:49] Understanding the benefits of strategic sponsorships
[15:15] How to create win-win strategic partnerships
[16:12] Sheila’s experience with management blueprints
[18:05] Sheila’s go-to software when creating leads and sales funnels
[18:05] Why online entrepreneurs should use ClickFunnels
[19:30] Everything you need to know about ClickFunnels
[21:03] How to profitably sell your business
[24:40] Reasons why companies fail to attract and retain strategic sponsors and partners
[26:29] Creative sponsorship and partnership packages for your business
Links and Resources
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
Jason Sherman is a successful entrepreneur, award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and tech startup expert. He is also the host of Strap on Your Boots Podcast and author of Strap on Your Boots: A realistic guide to building and scaling your startup. We talk about traits that define serial entrepreneurs, tips on scaling your business, and the power of data-driven decision-making.
Timestamps
[00:54] Jason’s journey into entrepreneurship
[03:20] The differences between a wantrepreneur and an entrepreneur
[08:40] Traits that define serial entrepreneurs
[11:35] Tech startups versus regular businesses
[15:10] Management frameworks Jason used to scale his businesses
[17:55] What is a minimum viable product?
[19:01] Reasons why most entrepreneurs fail
[21:57] Dissecting Jason’s book: Strap on Your Boots
[24:37] How to leverage data-driven decision-making to fuel growth
[26:40] Why your marketing needs to incorporate business storytelling
[29:05] Top tips on how to scale your business
[30:45] Essential skills every startup entrepreneur should possess
[34:10] How to become the CEO of a tech startup
[38:55] The Link between patience and long-term entrepreneurial success
Links and Resources
Jason’s Book: Strap on Your Boots
The Startup Essentials online course
The Entrepreneurial Genius by Gene Landrum
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday May 24, 2021
Monday May 24, 2021
Eric Dickmann is the CEO of the Five Echelon Group, a virtual CMO and strategic marketing advisory service provider for SMBs looking for growth and profitability. We talk about digital transformation, marketing automation, and how to remove friction in the buyer's journey.
Timestamps
[00:50] Eric's transition from the corporate world into entrepreneurship
[02:37] Successful frameworks from Oracle that SMBs can implement
[04:10] How consistency affects every aspect of your business
[06:25] What is digital transformation?
[07:44] Elements of s successful digital transformation strategy
[10:13] Benefits of using integrative tools
[12:12] How to simplify and accelerate your digital transformation
[14:05] Cost-efficient hiring of software specialists
[15:40] Marketing automation and why it's crucial for business growth
[18:10] Friction in the buyer's journey
[23:09] How to eliminate friction in your buyer's journey
[25:32] The best marketing automation software
[27:17] Why you need to have a marketing strategy
[32:21] How to hire your marketing dream team
Links and Resources
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
Brimstone is a serial entertainment entrepreneur boasting a successful and rewarding career spanning well over three decades; participating in numerous entertainment fields such as pro wrestling, radio, and acting. We talk about his experience running multiple businesses, entrepreneurship in the entertainment industry, and the life of a pro wrestler.
Timestamps
[01:25] Entrepreneurship in the entertainment industry
[03:55] Brimstone’s journey into entrepreneurship
[09:50] The Brimstone brand in a nutshell
[13:35] How Brimstone runs his brand
[22:30] How to run multiple business ventures
[26:32] Brimstone’s idea of an ideal legacy
[27:45] What Brimstone would have differently early on in his life
[31:25] Business frameworks Brimstone used to scale his business
[36:45] Success tips for young and aspiring entertainment entrepreneurs
[38:50] All you need to know about pro wrestling
[41:28] Brimstone’s upcoming projects
Links and Resources
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com
Monday May 10, 2021
Monday May 10, 2021
Tobin Lehman is the President and Lead Strategist at New North, a B2B digital marketing agency. He is also the author of Ride the Tornado: Continuously Improve Your Marketing Strategy in the Midst of Rapid Change, a marketing playbook that takes the mystery out of marketing. We discuss the impact of new technology on marketing, the RTS marketing framework, and using visuals and analytics to solve marketing problems.
Timestamps
[01:15] Tobin’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:57] Using visuals and analytics to solve marketing problems
[05:45] Design thinking for marketing campaigns
[08:40] Dissecting the RTS marketing framework
[11:51] Building a timeframe for marketing success
[12:50] Assessing the effectiveness of short-term marketing campaigns
[14:42] Tobin’s thoughts on how to successfully launch and market a new book
[17:38] How to leverage marketing campaigns to optimize a fundraising strategy
[20:45] Tobin and his team’s creativity process
[24:50] Spark your creativity through a clarity break
[28:07] The impact of new technology on marketing
Links and Resources
Tobin’s New Book: Ride a Tornado
Complete the Buyability Assessment
https://StevePreda.com