Interviews with CEOs and Entrepreneurs about the frameworks they are using to build and scale their businesses.
Episodes
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Garrett Sutton is the CEO of Corporate Direct and the Sutton Law Center, an asset protection company that provides corporate formation and maintenance services. He is also an 11-time best-selling author and a Lifetime Achievement member of the Top 100 Attorneys. We discuss asset protection laws across different states, corporate formation strategies, and how to use your book to scale your business.
Timestamps
[01:09] Garrett’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:47] How Garrett turned his law profession into a thriving business
[03:31] Defining asset protection
[07:10] Comparing asset protection laws across different states
[09:10] Practical asset protection strategies
[15:25] Analyzing leverage and management buyouts in today’s world
[17:30] Difference between certified and uncertified security
[19:30] Comparing a member-managed LLC to a manager-managed LLC
[21:43] The benefits of having a resident agent
[25:13] The value of maintaining asset protection entities
[29:00] Why you need to have annual LLC meetings and record meeting minutes
[30:14] Garrett’s go-to books for understanding corporate formation
[32:08] Dissecting C-Corp and S-Corp from a tax perspective
[37:13] Why writing a book establishes you as an expert in your field
[38:08] How to use your book to scale your business
Links and Resources
Garrett’s Book: Loopholes of Real Estate
Garrett’s Book: Start Your own Corporation
Steve’s soon-to-be-published book
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Mar 08, 2021
Monday Mar 08, 2021
Stacy Sherman is the founder and owner of Doing CX Right, a company devoted to refining customer experience and employee engagement. She is also the head of customer experience at Schindler Elevator and a customer experience advisory board member for leading colleges including the University of Richmond. We discuss why customer experience is crucial for business success and how leaders can improve customer satisfaction through employee engagement.
Timestamps
[01:15] How to become a customer experience expert
[03:04] Defining customer voice
[04:45] How to turn your customer's voice into a customer journey map
[06:11] The process of understanding customer needs
[09:20] Humanizing a business and why it's important
[10:51] How to balance automation and human involvement throughout a customer's journey
[13:45] How to humanize your employee experience
[16:30] Defining ‘leading from the heart' and how it can be scaled
[19:00] Stacy's take on the ideal employee journey
[21:20] The relationship between engaged employees and customer satisfaction
[23:20] How to measure and improve employee satisfaction
[26:10] The main focus points on how to boost customer experience in your business
[28:25] Utilizing customer feedback to better customer experience
[32:10] Why modern companies can't afford to ignore customer experience
Links and Resources
Steve’s new book
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Former NFL lineman Shawn Harper is the owner and operator of American Services and Protection, a security firm based in Columbus, Ohio. He also owns Bridge Builders International, an inter-denominational non-profit helping children in developing countries. We discuss how successful NFL systems can be applied to the business world and how to create a team-based winning culture.
Timestamps
[01:24] How Shawn transitioned from the NFL into entrepreneurship
[04:58] Shawn and his company’s definition of winning
[07:57] How to build a culture focused on winning long-term
[09:55] Incorporating the team into a company’s big win
[16:45] American Services and Protection’s big, hairy, and audacious goal
[20:07] Successful frameworks from the NFL that mid-sized businesses can use
[24:56] Habits that can help you improve your business system and achieve your goals
[28:05] Defining excellent communication
[31:34] Shawn’s definition of outstanding leadership
[36:25] How to get your people to align with your company’s goals
[41:30] Growing your company through personal selling
[45:20] Shawn’s ideal audience
Links and Resources
Steve’s soon-to-be-published book
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Morissa Schwartz is the owner of Dr. Rissy’s Writing and Marketing, an SEO, social media management, and PR company. She is also a multiple Amazon best-selling author and the proprietor of GenZ Publishing. We discuss how to beat your competition using SEO and the importance of having a strong social media presence.
Timestamps
[01:02] Morissa’s journey from writing into entrepreneurship
[03:25] How to amplify your personality through writing and social media
[06:35] Characteristics of an exceptional writer
[10:00] How Morissa built her company
[12:30] The link between a leader’s personality and a prosperous company
[14:50] The importance of SEO and how it affects your online presence
[18:10] Factors to consider when thinking of SEO
[19:18] Misconceptions surrounding podcast launches
[21:13] How to beat your competition using SEO
[22:11] The relationship between social media and search rankings
[23:50] Why you need to have a strong social media presence
[24:43] The essence of personalizing your social media appearance
[25:33] The best social media channels for professional service firms
[28:10] Analyzing Gary V’s Two Cents Strategy
[30:01] Pros and cons of concentrating all your marketing efforts on one website
[31:58] Dissecting Morissa’s 360 service
[32:37] The critical aspects to growing your online presence
[34:45] Morissa’s vision for Dr. Rissy Writing and Marketing
Links and References
Dr. Rissy Writing and Marketing
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Ethan Giffin is the founder and CEO of Groove Commerce, an eCommerce and Inbound Marketing company. We discuss how businesses can break into the eCommerce space and why most companies grew substantially during the pandemic.
Timestamps
[00:49] Definition of an Inbound marketing and eCommerce evangelist
[01:52] Why Ethan has unwavering faith in eCommerce
[03:10] Defining eCommerce in layman’s terms
[04:58] How multi-million companies can break into the eCommerce space
[07:45] Examining how businesses transitioned into eCommerce during the pandemic
[11:18] Why some businesses grew substantially during the pandemic
[16:07] Ethan’s journey into entrepreneurship
[25:00] How small to medium-sized businesses compete with major brands for online traffic
[27:35] Breaking down Ethan’s target market
[31:20] Effective strategies for attracting and retaining online customers
[35:21] Expected changes in the eCommerce space post-Covid-19
Links and Resources
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Alec Broadfoot is the founder and CEO of VisionSpark, an executive search, hiring training, consulting, and assessment company in Ohio, serving EOS-run companies. We discuss how firms can attract A-players using proven strategies and tools.
Timestamps
[01:02] Alec Broadfoot’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:54] Companies that Alec ran before founding VisionSpark
[04:35] How VisionSpark stands out from the competition
[06:18] Understanding the people component of a business
[08:05] Why Alec decided to focus on companies running on the Entrepreneurial Operating System
[10:38] The difference between companies that use EOS and those that don’t
[11:37] How the People Analyzer helps clients make the right people decisions
[14:26] The business management frameworks that Alec used in VisionSpark and in his other businesses
[15:22] Why Alec started using EOS and his experience so far
[18:44] The notable mistakes entrepreneurs make during the hiring process
[22:33] How entrepreneurs can boost their hiring success ratio
[26:19] Why finding great people is more challenging than the selection process
[28:35] How to craft the perfect job post that attracts the right people
[34:07] The three main things every visionary leader has to focus on
[40:00] Why new entrepreneurs struggle with initial delegation of tasks
Links and Resources
Beyond Entrepreneurship by Jim Collins
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Feb 01, 2021
Monday Feb 01, 2021
Mike Wittenstein is the founder of StoryMiners, a consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia. They help businesses translate strategies into customer experiences. Previously, Mike was a media personality and spokesperson for IBM. We discuss how StoryMiners utilizes design to create value for customers and the frameworks behind their processes.
Timestamps
[01:19] Mike Wittenstein’s journey into entrepreneurship
[03:06] Business lessons from IBM
[05:29] Experience design creates value
[07:57] Design is a problem-solving tool
[11:26] Turning strategies into stories
[15:00] What leaders have to do differently
[15:51] How StoryMiners looks for value creation points
[20:00] How a good strategy resonates with people
[21:07] StoryMiners’ Promise Map
[29:17] Objectives and Key Results Framework
[31:26] Measure what generates value for your client’s customers
[32:35] How StoryMiners optimizes design for greater outcomes of value
[36:42] Transitions Optical Retail Experience
[39:48] Clients want to see their ideas become real
[45:10] Leaders should set goals and design the path to attain them
Links and Resources
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Cody Butler is the bestselling author of The 90-day Marketing Plan which helps small businesses create an effective marketing strategy. Cody recently sold Majestic Data Solutions a company that helps small businesses become data-centric and leverage their data.
Time Stamps
[01:23] Cody’s background and what led him to become a marketing entrepreneur
[05:06] How Cody built a scalable business
[10:28] Cody’s advice for marketing quick wins
[15:07] How to generate appointments on LinkedIn
[21:03] Common mistakes business owners make in their marketing
[30:18] What your conversion rate is telling you about your strategy
[36:58] Finding a balance and outsourcing to generate results
[40:38] Marketing in the age of social media
[46:19] Everyone is in the marketing business
[50:33] Cody’s book: The 90-day Marketing Plan
[52:35] How Cody helps businesses with their marketing
Links and Resources:
Cody Butler’s LinkedIn Profile
Cody Butler’s The 90-day Marketing Plan
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Rahul Alim is the president and CEO of Custom Creatives, a full-service digital marketing firm in Los Angeles. The agency specializes in high impact marketing solutions for small to medium sized businesses. Rahul also founded Follow Up Monster, a platform that enables businesses to pursue leads through automation.
Timestamps
[00:55] Rahul Alim’s journey into entrepreneurship
[02:26] What makes a good digital marketing agency
[05:16] Establish standard procedures for the business' longevity
[08:35] Businesses scale faster with simple processes
[12:41] Small businesses’ competitive advantage over major brands
[16:33] Outsourced marketing as an investment in your business
[19:59] Choose a digital marketing agency that’s a good fit for your business
[22:56] Marketing strategies should be needs-based
[26:55] Business needs and marketing landscape constantly change
[30:29] How Custom Creatives creates its own global talent pool
[33:51] The importance of websites in marketing and SEO
[37:06] Blogs show expertise and convert potential customers
[39:39] Improve your marketing through 3 concrete steps
Links and Resources
https://StevePreda.com
Monday Jan 11, 2021
Monday Jan 11, 2021
Alex Sanfilippo is the founder of PodMatch, a fast-growing podcast matching platform, and the host of the Creating a Brand podcast for entrepreneurs. We discuss how business owners can leverage podcasting to grow their business, why documenting processes is critical and productivity tools required to scale a business.
Time Stamps
[00:45] Alex’s professional background and how he became a podcast entrepreneur
[03:17] How the corporate environment prepared Alex for entrepreneurship
[12:20] How to use a blog to grow your business
[15:09] Should you outsource your blog?
[17:20] How podcasting is different from blogging
[21:04] Starting a podcast to grow your business
[23:40] Committing to consistency to get results
[28:52] Hiring micro-entrepreneurs
[30:51] Advice for starting a podcast
[33:10] Alex’s productivity tips
[39:58] The evolution of PodMatch.com since its inception
[44:24] The size of the podcast market available to PodMatch.com
Links and Resources:
Alex Sanfilippo’s LinkedIn Profile
https://StevePreda.com