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

Inside Personal Growth with Greg Voisen · Podcast 669: The Innovation Mentality with Glenn Llopis I had the recent pleasure of interviewing author and thought

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 650: Obroni and the Chocolate Factory with Steve Wallace

I don’t know of too many people that hate chocolate, so for all you chocolate lovers you are going to love this interview.

Steve Wallace is the author of a new book entitled  “Oberoni and the Chocolate Factory-An Unlikely Story of Globalization and Ghana’s First Gourmet Chocolate Bar.” This book is about a fascinating journey about a man who truly has made a difference in the production of chocolate.  When we think of chocolate we immediately think of Switzerland, France, Belgium–but why?  Cocoa beans are not from those places.

Steve used to live in Ghana (one of the largest regions producing cocoa) when he was 16 years old. This experience transformed him and he wanted to return to Ghana and give back.  While the people of Ghana’s vertically-integrated cocoa bureaucracy, overseen by Ghans’s Cocoa Board, aspired to move up the cocoa value chain, they were unwilling to invest in doing so.  They were content to stay at the bottom of the value chain.

Needless to say with tremendous hard work and lots of maneuvering the cocoa bean system, Steve Wallace build a very successful chocolate bar factory called Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company.  The chocolate bars are produced and manufactured in Ghana and shipped to Wisconsin for boxing, sales, and shipping.  Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company is truly a global company employing and housing over 200 natives.  Steve provides his employees with a fair wage,  and housing and has infused the local economy with a newfound wealth from what was once a place of poverty.

If you want to listen to a truly great story about a social-entrepreneur on a mission to change the lives of hundreds of people, then you won’t want to miss my interview with Steve.

To learn more about Steve and his new book ” Oberoni and the Chocolate Factory” please click here to be directed to the Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company website.   Enjoy this great interview with a social entrepreneur making a difference in the world!

 

Podcast 647: Shine-How To Survive and Thrive at Work with Chris Barez-Brown

I recently conducted an interview with author Chris Barez Brown about his book entitled ” Wake-Up“–Podcast # 645.  I had such a great experience and interview with Chris that I invited him back to speak about his new book entitled “Shine, How To Survive And Thrive At Work“.

We all spend a lot of time at our work, so having fun and enjoying our work is so important to remain engaged.  In my interview with Chris, we discuss the many great ideas about how to keep our work fun and stay engaged.

Just one of the ideas includes a concept he calls “Who’s Elvis Around Here?” This is really a great idea, and is the person who stands out in your business, the one that breaks the rules, and makes things happen within the organization.  Is that you our are you just standing by waiting, or afraid to speak up?  Don’t stand on the sidelines waiting, get engaged and speak up with your good ideas to propel the business forward.

Chris states that our minds are highly efficient killing machines.  They are trained from an early age to destroy anything that doesn’t fit our model of the world. This means that analytical, logical minds dominate our working lives–what are you doing to get off or autopilot and tap into your abundant thinking brain which breaks the cycle of helping us to consider futures that are not based on past experience?

Shine, How to Survive and Thrive at Work is a book loaded with great ideas to help you thrive in the workplace.  It is an easy read and should be the companion to anyone wanting to make a difference at work.

If you want more information about author Chris Barez-Brown please click here to be taken to his website.  Our your can click here to be directed to Chris’s Facebook page.  I hope you enjoy this great interview with someone who has transformed how organizations look at their employees.

 

 

Podcast 607: Sometimes Brilliant with Larry Brilliant

In all my years of conducting interviews with authors, I have probably never come across one like Dr. Larry Brilliant.  He is literally brilliant, authentic and someone who played a major role in eradicating a disease that was killing thousands of people.

In his new book “Sometime Brilliant-The Impossible Adventure of a Spiritual Seeker and Visionary Physician Who Helped Conquer the Worst Disease in History” he tell his story with flair and humor.

In my interview with Larry we get to explore his history as a visionary physician and spiritual seeker.  Larry ended up in India under the guidance of guru named Neem Karoli Baba.  Neem Karoli Baba informed Larry that he would be involved in the work to help eradicate smallpox.  At the time over 43,000 people were affected by this horrible disease, and through Larry’s diligence, persistence and fortitude to bring the doctors and World Health Organization together they accomplished the goal and vision that his guru has envisioned.

Through “Sometimes Brilliant” you are on a journey with Larry and the cast of characters, which include Steve Jobs, Ram Dass, Dalai Lama and many others.  You learn about a man and a life well lived, and a contribution to the world that saved and has saved thousands of lives from the smallpox disease.

I hope you enjoy this great interview with a wonderful humanitarian and physician.  If you want to learn more about Dr. Larry Brilliant please click here to be directed to his website, or click here to be taken to his Facebook page.

 

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.

 

Podcast 576: Almost: 12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream with Hap Klopp

I don’t think that there is an entrepreneur on the face of the planet that doesn’t understand the challenges of starting-up a new company. Most startups are faced with a myriad of issues, not to mention one of the biggest issues of finding capital to drive the new venture forward.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Hap Klopp the founder of North Face, about his new book entitled “Almost-12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream“. Our interview is a must listen too for those who are in business, and especially if you might be seeking funding for your new venture. His book tells the story about the issues that a company by the name of “Ardica” in the Silicon Valley had in finding funds, and the dynamics of the personalities working in the business. Hap, was the marketing director and was on the board of directors of Ardica. It is a wonderfully told story about a group of very bright engineers attempting to revolutionize the energy business, and in the process finding obstacles at almost every intersection partially due to the disfunction of the organization and the other as a result of a cash burn rate that was exceeding income.

I hope you will take the time to listen to this great interview with Hap Klopp about his new book “Almost-12 Electric Months Chasing A Silicon Valley Dream.” If you want more information about Hap please click here to be linked to a great article from the Stanford Business School.  You can also learn more about Ardica by clicking here to visit their website.

 

Podcast 574: The Art of Authenticity with Karissa Thacker

There is lots of talk today about the power of authenticity, and rightfully so.  We see the topic being discussed throughout the political campaigning that we are experiencing, and unfortunately we don’t see our current top running candidates for the presidential election showing high levels of authenticity.   As sad as that might seem, “authenticity” seems to be conspicuously absent from this presidential campaign.

In my recent interview with author Karissa Thacker about her book “The Art of Authenticity” we discuss the four components that form the basis of authenticity as a leader.

First, is self-awareness-motivation and values are individual and distinctive.  This level of authenticity requires that one really wants, what is important and why.  The second is “balanced processing–this is a skill of blending thought process with the thought processes of others without a bias one’s own view. ( I really believe this is missing with that unnamed candidate for president.)  Third, is relational transparency–when it comes to building a genuine relationship with people, transparency is critical.  Authentic leaders allow themselves to evolve, grow, and experiment regarding their personal transparency.  Lastly, is internal moral perspective–authentic leaders are students of human nature in general and experts on the peculiarities of their own particular more nature. The keep their own unique internal GPS system activated as they deal with day-to-day pressures.

If you are a leader in your organization and wanting to learn more about the keys to being more authentic then I would highly recommend that you read Karissa Thacker new book “The Art of Authenticity“.  You can learn more by visiting her website by clicking here, or you can go to the book Facebook page by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy this lively interview with Karissa Thacker about “The Art of Authenticity“.

 

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