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 420: Escape from Cubical Nation with Pamela Slim

I recently interviewed Pamela Slim the author of “Escape From Cubical Nation”.  If you have been thinking about breaking away from the corporate life and doing your own thing, then you will certainly want to read and learn from someone who has coached many in making the shift.  Pamela knows from personal experience for she made the shift, and knows first hand the mental and emotional shifts that one has to go through to make the to move to being an entrepreneur.

Pam cites many reasons for people moving to becoming solo entrepreneurs and here are just a few: 1) corporations have had lots of changes over the last 20 years and many have become fundamentally difficult places to work. 2) Some people are just not cut out to work in large corporations.  No matter what the reason if you are considering the move, then it would be highly recommended that you read Pam’s book “Escape from Cubical Nation”.  If you have any fears or trepidations which would be natural, one thing would be remember what is you happiness worth?

Pam help you navigate your fears, thoughts and mental challenges as you face the transition and her advice comes from years of coaching people through the process successfully.

If you would like to learn more about “Escape from Cubical Nation.” Please watch the interview below that Pam did on a local television station.  Our click here for a link to her Facebook page, or here to be directed to her website.

Podcast 410: I’m There For You, Baby: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To The Galaxy with Neil Senturia

I recently attended a meeting of the “Disruptive Thinkers’ in San Diego.  The speaker at the regular Monday evening event was an author by the name of Neil Senturia.  I really did not know what to think, but I was in for a pleasant surprise.  Not only was Neil entertaining, funny and witty but his message was meaningful and dead on the money!.

If you are an entrepreneur or social entrepreneur then you are going to want to listen to my interview with Neil Senturia about his book entitled ” I’m There For You, Baby-The Entrepreneur’s Guide to the Galaxy”.  This book is comprised of a series of rules that Neil has developed over the years, as a result of being an amazingly successful entrepreneur himself.

Let me share a couple of the rules with you to see if you agree:

Rule #1: Return every email and every phone call.”

Rule #2: Networking is a profession. Become professional at it.”

Rule #3: You must go to every meeting and every event; in particular, the ones you know for sure will be a total waste of time.”  

It really doen’t matter if you agree or disagree with Neil’s rules or not, the book is a must read for anyone who runs their own business or is about to venture out into any entrepreneur activity.  Please take a few minutes and listen to our interview I think you will find our dialogue inspiring and the content very useful.

To learn more about Neil Senturia and ” I’m There For You, Baby”, click here to be directed to his website.

You can also watch a few very funny and informative book trailer just click below.