Podcast 669: The Innovation Mentality-Six Strategies to Disrupt the Status Quo and Reinvent the Way we Work with Glenn Llopis

Innovation Mentality

I had the recent pleasure of interviewing author and thought leader Glenn Llopis.  A few year ago we did a podcast about his book “Earning

Podcast 660: Walking to Destiny with Chris Snider

I met author Chris Snider at a Exit Planning Institute meeting here in San Diego.  As I listened to him speak, everything he was saying resonated with me personally and professionally.  How many of you reading this blog entry have businesses and are making an effort to build the value in the business, but it seems to be a struggle?  Believe me this is not uncommon, it happens more that most business owners think.  Dealing with the challenge of building value in your business, not just working for an above average salary with nothing left in the end to sell.

In Chris’s new book “Walking to Destiny-11 Actions An Owner Must Take to Rapidly Grow Value & Unlock Wealth” he points out the reasons why business owners don’t not build value, and the solutions to building great value in your business.  Chris is the designer of a process called the “Value Acceleration Methodology” which is the formula that he developed and can help any business owner build value, and sell their business when they decide to transition for a value that they expect and are happy with.

If you are a baby boomer and own you own business chances are you are going to have to make the decision to create your succession plan very soon.  In the next 20 years over 20 trillion dollars in business value will be sold, transferred to the next generation or merged with other acquiring company.  This is a huge problem, and opportunity for you the business owner to take action and create value now so you get the most for your business when you choose to sell.

I would encourage you to listen to this podcast with Chris, for he is one of the leading experts in the field of exit planning.  His organization Exit Planning Institute help advisors get certified as CEPA’s (Certified Exit Planning Advisors).  Enjoy this great interview with Chris Snider the author of “Walking to Destiny” it’s worth your time to read his book and if you have a business and are attempting to create greater value this book is a must!!!!

Podcast 606: Beyond the E-Myth with Michael Gerber

I think this is the fourth time I have interviewed Michael Gerber, and each time I set down to speak with Michael I am amazed as how vibrant and alive he conveys his compelling message about entrepreneurship.   In his newly released book entitled “Beyond The E-Myth”  Michael takes the reader beyond all previous iterations of his E-Myth message to a place that will transform the reader.

Michael states that we need to think of our small business as prodcuts that need to be packaged and sold.  We can no longer be the one man or woman operation expecting to break through the ceilings of complexity.  If we are to grow we need to think of growing our organizations into business with a 1,000 employees, it is not necessary that we accomplish this goal but we need to shift our thinking that we are going to be larger organizations.

Michael know that the best entrepreneurs have a dream, a mission and a vision.  Knowing what they are and remaining focused on your dream, mission and vision are key components in transforming your business and your own personal life.  Michael also believes in having a Great Story and being able to articulate your message is one of the key to success–a Great Story is always about going beyond the ordinary and achieving greatness.

If you have an interest in transforming your business into one that will as some point not need you and will run without you, then you need to listen to my interview with Michael Gerber about his new book “Beyond The E-Myth”  If you want to learn more please click here to be directed to Michael’s website where you can learn more about his workshops and events.

I hope you enjoy this interview with Michael Gerber.

 

Podcast 604: Disrupt Together with Heather McGowan

I had the privilege of recently interviewing Heather McGowan the co-author of a new book entitled “Disrupt Together-How Teams Consistently Innovate“.  I was truly amazed at the depth and breadth of knowledge Heather has about innovating within organizations.  The book “Disrupt Together” is a compilation of  chapters written by distinguished thought leaders in the field of innovation.

Heather and I had an opportunity to discuss many of the chapters within the book, along with her contribution entitled “Framing the Vision for Engagement”  When you have been handed a strategic directive it is the job of the managers to create an actionable enterprise.  To create that actionable enterprise is requires that we are able to engage the talent responsible for the development of that new product or services being innovated.  As Heather states in the book “The process is a nonlinear, iterative sequence of discover, formulate, develop, and optimize phases. When the directive can be explicitly stated as an actionable vision ,the value creation phase of development and optimize ensue, offering problem solutions and value creation.

This process is at the heart of every organization involved in innovating something new or redesigning a product to improve it.  Disrupt Together is designed for anyone who want to take a deep dive into learning more about the dynamics of teams in the creative and innovative process.  Every chapters provides insight and wisdom from some of the best teachers in the industry.

If you want to learn more about Heather McGowan and her passion, for the future of work and learning I recommend you visit her website by clicking here.  You also might want to watch a very cool video of a presentation she did Redesigning Work by clicking here.

 

Podcast 598: Fully Engaged-Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life with Thomas Sterner

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Tom Sterner the author of a new book entitled ” Fully Engaged-Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life“.  As Tom states in the introduction to the book “Everything in life worth achieving requires practice.  In fact, life itself is nothing more than one long practice session, and endless effort of refining our motions”

Tom realizes and teaches to his coaching clients that to be fully engaged in any activity means to be present in the moment and in what you are doing right now.  This task is easier spoken about than achieved.  As stated this takes practice and becoming aware of one’s thoughts and actions.  Now while thousands of books have been written about this subject, Tom cuts to the chase and to the core of what he believes is required of us to attain an elevated level of awareness and consciousness.

In Fully Engaged, Tom explores specific techniques, such as through awareness training and setting goals with accurate data, and demonstrates how using these techniques will not only help you reach your objectives, but will keep you engaged in each moment of your life.

If you want to learn more about Tom Sterner you can click here to be directed to his website, or you can click here to visit his Facebook page.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Tom Sterner.

 

Podcast 593: Embracing Change From the Inside Out with David Winkelman

My good friend David Winkelman has been working on his new book “Embracing Change from the Inside Out” for last year.  It is a pleasure for me to finally be announcing the book’s release.

In my interview with David we speak about about what he refers to as the “Game Changers” as it relates to “Embracing Change“.

Those game changers start with clarity.  This is the lens that you see the world from, your perspective.  You can either be positive or negative, but when is comes to change the more positive you are the easier it will be to embrace change.

The second of the game changers is connection. This is all about your relationships.  How you are supported by the people around to to embrace change can make a significant difference in your ability to change.

The next game changer are the conditions.  As David states this is a broad category.  This can mean the structure or system that is helping to support the change process, without a structure and system your efforts to change become very challenging at best.

The fourth game changer is motivation.  How motivated are you to change, and what truly motivates and drives you to make change?  Sometimes what we think motivates us to change is really not the motivator.  Identifying your motivators are important for if you can fulfill your internal psychological reason for change you have a better opportunity to succeed.  David speak with us about pattern recognition which is the process whereby we can more easily identify the reasons behind our motivations.

The last game changer is action.  What are the meaningful and effective actions that we can take to make the desired change in our lives.

Everyone reading and listening to this podcast has been faced with some type of change.  We uproot and move, we marry, we divorce, we start up and grow businesses and the list just goes on and on.  The key to all of the change we face is to understand the steps that we move through in the change process and learn how to embrace the process.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview with my good friend and author David Winkelman.  If you want more information about David please click here to be directed to his website.

 

Podcast 591: Get A Grip with Mike Paton

I recently sat down to conduct an interview with author Mike Paton about his book entitled “Get A Grip” which is the companion to the bestselling book “Traction”  We discuss both books in this interview, because the content  of “Get A Grip compliments the content in “Traction”.

If you are like most entrepreneurs your daily life is filled with new challenges and opportunities.  It is not an easy job to juggle everything and keep your sanity.  I personally know because I am an entrepreneur and I have worked with hundreds of visionaries with similar challenges .  What I appreciate about “Get A Grip” is that the book provides the reader with tools and practices which if followed will make their life simpler and more efficient.

An important point that Mike Paton makes during our interview , is that many visionaries/entrepreneurs don’t have an integrator in their business.  So just what is an integrator?  This is someone who compliments the visionaries role by who’s role is to guide, direct the organization while seizing the opportunities.

The integrators role is to analyze the P&L, remove obstacles, work on legal and compliance issues and overall handle the daily operations of the business.  A visionary can not operate their business without an integrator.   Now while this may sound obvious to many of you reading this, believe me many businesses have not identified who the integrator is, or they don’t have one and this can lead to chaos.  The visionary is not the right person to be playing this kind of role, nor do they usually have the business acumen for the role of a integrator.

Mike spoke about the Six Key Components  and  the philosophy of EOS Worldwide the company behind both books.  Mike stated that “First is that there is a “Vision” shared by all in the organization, Second is that of “People” putting the right people in the right seats. Third, track the “Issues” keep an issues list. Forth, is Traction to keep momentum you need to have meetings that Mike refers to as “Rocks”, Fifth is Process that is the documentation followed by all.   Sixth and lastly is Data, keep a scorecard and measure the progress of the organization in the critical areas.”

If you are really interested in simplifying your business and being provided with great tools and techniques I highly recommend reading “Get A Grip” and “Traction” both great books on business growth and organization.

To learn more about the processes and tools discuss in “Get a Grip” please click here to be directed to the EOS Worldwide website.

I hope you enjoy this great interview with Mike Paton, author and EOS Worldwide Integrator.

 

Podcast 590: Hustle-The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning and Momentum with Jonas Koffler

This book is for anyone, it is a book for those who are willing to take charge of their destinies, beat the odds and create opportunity to pursue dreams on their own terms.

I recently sat down to conduct this podcast interview with Jonas Koffler one of three authors that makes up the team who wrote “Hustle-The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum.”  Hustle addresses the political, social and economic issues that plague the American citizen attempting to have more meaning and money in their lives.

Jonas states “The “American Dream” is not longer about advancement or the acquisition of material possessions–secure job, car, home, family or even social mobility–alone. It is about greater freedom and autonomy to choose one’s own path forward.  The American Dream is more of a DIY creative project than is has ever been, and hustle is the way to achieving it, surfacing one’s talents, capturing luck and opportunity, and leveraging skills and technology into a diversified portfolio of upward optionality.”

The authors definition of “hustle’ has been redefined to mean “Decisive movement toward a goal, however indirect, by which the motion itself manufactures luck, surfaces hidden opportunities, and charges our live with more money, meaning and momentum. “

If you want to change the trajectory of you life I highly recommend reading “Hustle” and listening to this interview.  You can also join the “Hustle’ generation by joining the authors on their quest.

Just click this link to take you to their book landing page.  I hope you enjoy my interview with Jonas Koffler one of the authors of “Hustle“.

 

Podcast 578: Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want From Your Business with Mark C. Winters

I really love business books that provide value to the reader, and this book “Rocket Fuel” is an easy to read book that is chalk full of value.

In my interview with author Mark C. Winter we explore one of the most important realizations by successful entrepreneurs and that if you want to develop a business it takes someone in the passenger seat, and that person is called an Integrator.  An “Integrator” compliments a “Visionary” and the right combination of these two people is imperative for the success of any business.

What you will learn by reading “Rocket Fuel” is that “Visionaries” have certain characteristics as do “Integrators”. When each person knows and plays their role in the organization you obtain “Rocket Fuel” as the book suggests.

Mark also discusses with me something he refers to as the “Accountability Chart”.  This is not just a normal organizational chart, the “Accountability Chart” helps you define the functions of the organization but to compliment that is defines the five (5) major roles of each of the people in the organization.  When you accomplish this task, it make everything much clearer and allows for leadership team to function with clear lines of communication.

What I appreciate most about “Rocket Fuel” and Mark C. Winters is the fact that all the techniques and tools outlined in the the book are tried and true tools.  Mark’s co-author Gino Wickman is the founder of EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System) out of Detroit Michigan.  EOS Worldwide provides the reader with amazing free resources as well as an opportunity to hire a business coach called an Implementer.

If you want to learn more about Rocket Fuel please click here to be directed to the book website, if you want to learn more about EOS Worldwide please click here to be directed to their website.  

I particularly enjoyed this animated YouTube Video titled “Why Entrepreneurial Companies Need a Visionary and an Integrator.”  I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark C. Winters.