Journey To Mastery

Cyndi Thomason taps into the power of niche mastery and Profit First methodology to navigate the tempest of ecommerce, transforming struggling online entrepreneurs into profitable success stories; all while embarking on a personal quest to reclaim her health and wellness, proving that the greatest asset in business is oneself. Key Takeaways: 💡The Art of Niching Down: Cyndi shares her strategic pivot towards serving e-commerce businesses, emphasizing the power of tailoring your services and aligning with clients' technological preferences. 💲Profit First Approach: Discover how the Profit First methodology transformed Cyndi's business from a generalist to a specialist, allowing her to help other entrepreneurs navigate cash flow and profitability successfully. 🔥Personal Mastery Journey: Beyond business, Cyndi is candid about her current personal goal – mastering her health and fitness, to show up as her best self for her clients and herself. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Connect with Cyndi Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Karl Becker, a seasoned expert in the sales world, on our latest podcast episode, "Iceberg Selling and the Human Connection". We peeled back the layers on what truly makes a sales conversation successful, and Karl's insights were nothing short of transformative. Here are 3 key takeaways 🚀 for all the professionals out there looking to refine their sales approach: 🌿 Embrace the Human Element: Sales isn't just about closing deals; it's about *building meaningful relationships* and understanding the 90% beneath the surface that influences decision-making. 🔄 Recognize the Journey: Every potential customer is at a different stage in their buyer's journey. *Patience* and open-ended questions are your best tools for co-creating the right path forward. 🧭 Alignment Over Everything: The best business relationships are grounded in shared values and goals. Prioritize alignment and *trust your gut* to find partners that resonate with your ethos. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Karl Becker Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Felicia reveals the pivotal moment when she heard the voice of God telling her to shutdown her successful business, leading her to redefine what it means to be successful and live a rich life through what she calls the "rich method for living". Episode Highlights 08:27 - Understanding Fulfillment Beyond Success: "But sometimes the results that we think we want are not conducive for the life that we think we wanna live." 10:57 - Finding Balance in Success and Personal Life: "Women were healing in places they didn't know they were broken, and now they're finding a way to love their business again. They're finding a way to love their life again." 15:09 - Internal Metrics for Success: "Until you see yourself as successful already, you're always gonna be chasing something else." 21:36 - The Importance of Relationships and Personal Growth: "But what do your relationships look like? Who makes you thrive? Who drains you? What is your relationship like with your creator? Where's your foundation? Because your relationships are what carry you through moments of success when you wanna call that person who's not gonna roll their eyes as something amazing you did. Also, when things go wrong, those relationships are gonna carry you and hug you and say, friend, it's gonna be fine." Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Felicia Kelly LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

In this episode of "Journey To Mastery," entrepreneur Felicia Kelly shares her journey of overcoming adversity, prioritizing self-care, and achieving personal and professional fulfillment. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Felicia Kelly LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie gets into the nitty-gritty of e-commerce and e-learning with Ken Burke, an esteemed entrepreneur who took his online commerce company to generate $2 billion in annual revenue. Ken shares his transition into leveraging AI in his microcasting platform, his dedication to curating seamless courses, and his withstanding belief in the significance of specializing in the early stages of entrepreneurship. This is a master class in focus, riding the wave of emerging trends, and the critical importance of sales and marketing. Episode Highlights: 16:14 - When I talk about land and expanding, I focus on one market, on selling one set of feature sets, and on one message, right? So here's what I want to make sure of, there's another one of my sayings. When you try to talk to everyone, you talk to no one because your message doesn't resonate. 18:54 - When the engine is starting to work, you, as the entrepreneur, don't need to attend to the engine every day. That's when, you know, you can actually move on to something else. You can either broaden your product, or you're going to naturally broaden your product or service offering. 26:30 - So, by having that thought leadership position and having the ability to educate on an ongoing basis using webinars, which is in the olden days, that's what you used to do. Now we do it through e-learning. And so, all I'm doing is bringing that level of engagement that I had with my prospects, partners, and customers to light in a system that actually works, and you can just plug content in, and it does everything else for you. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Ken Burke LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie chats with Amanda Hofman, CEO and Co-Founder of Go To Market, a woman-owned business looking to revolutionize the way the world handles swag. Amanda takes us on a journey through her challenging entrepreneurial experiences, from running an events company in New York City to delving into the kid's toy industry. Amanda emphasizes the value of learning from past mistakes, seeking honest feedback, and the value of networking in an entrepreneur’s journey and gives us a sneak peek into the company's future, including exciting growth plans and staying competitive. Episode Highlights: 08:19 - I think that's something that people miss, like people really do want to help each other. And so, if you're clear about asking for help, I think you'll find that a lot of people will outstretch, you know, put their hand out to you. Especially if you do it in a respectful way and you're not asking for too much time, but just to say, Hey, I'm really interested in getting into this industry, or I'm having trouble breaking into this industry, or I have questions about the kind of job you do. First of all, people love talking about themselves, and people like being helpful. So, if you're bold enough to ask, you might, you know, what's the harm in asking? As long as you can get the courage to do it. 09:39 - I think that the main thing that I can tell people is to be open to and seek out negative feedback. So, like, you hear all the time from people like, "Oh, ignore the haters." You know, don't read the negative comments, and yeah, you don't want to hear what every Joe Schmo has to say about your business, but your friends are going to be an echo chamber for you, and people who love you are going to be an echo chamber for you. So, I looked out, and I was like, What am I doing wrong? What could I be doing better? And I would really reward people who would be honest with me. 20:12 - My dream is that companies all across the country will, like, let's completely do away with boring, unsustainable merchandise. It's a real lose-lose for companies. They're spending all of this money to print their logo on something that people don't want, then they gift it, and then people have garbage from this company. And it's really like an expensive, junk-filled, time-consuming, negative process. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Amanda Hofman LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie sits down with the multi-talented Susan Drumm, a widely respected entrepreneur and leadership expert. Susan has revolutionized a decade-old program, transforming it into a model that empowers anyone to foster better teamwork. Explore her journey from Harvard Law, consulting, acting, and her unique blend of music and neuroscience in leadership outlined in her book, "The Leader's Playlist". Get a glimpse into her 17-year journey with Meritage Leadership, the hurdles of entrepreneurship, and the balancing act of scaling a business. Susan also introduces the Enneagram tool, which reveals the essentially of recognizing and addressing blind spots for effective leadership. This episode is an enriching exploration of leadership, personal growth, and the transformative power of music. Tune in now! Episode Highlights: 09:12 - I think I'm going to bring something that you probably never heard, which is related to how music can actually help you be a better leader and a better human. So what do I mean by that? Well, I wrote this book called The Leader's Playlist, and it's about how to unleash the power of music and neuroscience to transform your leadership and your life. And essentially, it looks at the power that music has to help us form new neural pathways in the brain. It's basically how we learn more quickly and efficiently. So, everything's faster when you kind of embed it with music, but it has an important component to it, which is the fact that I think my superpower is pattern recognition. That's what I've been coaching. 10:18 - And what I noticed in those patterns is that a lot of that has to do with what happened to them in their childhood. And what happened to you in your childhood, meaning whatever challenges you had or traumas, more specifically, or just wounds. We've all been wounded in some way, that influence and help us create a superpower, and so that superpower is what you want to leverage, but it also comes with a liability. 24:26 - It's going to be hard for you to get to the next level. And so in this book, I both articulate why what happens to your childhood shows up in your leadership today and also how music can actually interrupt this pattern and help you create a new path forward when you pair it with music. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Susan Drumm LinkedIn Website The Leader's Playlist Book Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Dive into the journey of entrepreneurship with Jeff Maine, Founder of Pay Proudly. His mission is twofold: to provide business owners with payment clarity and to support communities through charity. Discover how Jeff, from his humble beginnings to becoming a seasoned entrepreneur, harnesses his strengths and strategy to fill the gaps in his ventures. Episode Highlights: 09:06 - We know our customers need to know us. They need to like us, and they need to trust us. So how do we achieve that? Every single step of the way, and it's getting in front of businesses. And so, really, for our side, sales 101, we're bringing people in and saying, "All right, we've got to get out into the end of the town, and we've got to be talking to businesses, and they've got to know us, like us, and trust us." And so, once we cross that, the sales side is easy. It's easy to sell somebody who already likes and trusts you; you know, it's not really hard anymore from a sales standpoint. 21:55 - Its real money that these business owners are saving. And listen, I've saved businesses just in rate reduction—over $10,000 a month—and fees, you know, it's businesses. A lot of businesses just don't look at this stuff, and they don't have clarity around it. And so it's real; it's a real number. It's a real line item. Businesses are paying a lot in credit card fees, and it's something we can really help them with. 24:05 - We give our business owners credit for those gifts because, without their processing on our platform, we wouldn't be able to give them. And so we want our business owners to have credit for that. So through social media and through everything we do, we thank our businesses. We push the business owners to say, "Hey, because they process it with Pay Proudly, we're able to do this." Without them, we wouldn't be able to do it. So, we love it. It's who we are. We're always going to do it. And we're just going to keep giving, and hopefully we get more and more because we're going to sign more and more accounts. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Jeff Maine LinkedIn Facebook Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Precious Williams, known as the Killer Pitch Master, shares a glimpse into her life-altering journey from personal despair to clawing her way back up. Precious shares her perspective on resilience and redemption and the vital role of pitching not just in business, but life. She shares the six types of pitches and their role in building success. Precious also shares insights on personal branding, the value of diversity, and the power of authenticity. Episode Highlights: 07:17 - It also showed me that there were people who looked nothing like me and did not care what their backstory was. They only cared about how you present yourself, what that does for their audience, and how we can take that into bigger and bigger places. So that was a lesson that was dialed into me, and I leaned into it, and because of that, I was never afraid to walk into any room again to present myself as a killer pitch master. 08:22 - It is so important for founders to know how to pitch because. If you don't have a way of briefly introducing yourself, your books, your business, your brand, your product, or your service in a way that captivates, titillates, excites, and delights, you're going to have a hard time. You're going to have a hard time posting on social media. A lot of us started by ourselves. So if you cannot get people interested in taking a look at your products or services to want to book you, hire you, or refer you, if you don't show why you're the only choice that matters in an oversaturated place. 36:01 - One of the greatest things I want you to take from me is to be the celebrity of your own brand. It's great to take pictures with all these people and that's wonderful. That doesn't impute anything to you. It doesn't, I promise. I know it looks good. You get a lot of likes on social media. But you want people to come to you. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Precious Williams Website Newsletter 1 one 1 Experiences Hire to Speak at Your Event| Holiday Special Book Links Upcoming Events LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie Flenard talks with legal entrepreneur, James Grant, who reveals the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business. From navigating team dynamics during growth phases, to maintaining focus on the business's purpose, James' insights are invaluable for any entrepreneur. Plus, hear why not all business partnerships are disasters, and how dividing responsibilities based on strengths can be a game-changer. Get a sneak peek into James' enjoyment of his entrepreneurial journey and how it aligns perfectly with his lifestyle. Tune in to learn more about creating a business that serves you, and not the other way around! Remember, entrepreneurship is about more than just work, it's about crafting the lifestyle you want for you and your family. Discover how James did just that. Episode Highlights: 13:03 - If you're listening and you think that, "Oh, I don't have the money to hire this super expensive, super qualified rockstar, start small." Hire a VA to manage your email inbox. Hire a VA to do something that is ultra small, that is super basic, but that's taking a lot of your time. With most business owners, most of what you do is administrative in some way. And if you can offload that to a virtual assistant, that's somewhere across the globe in a country where you're both getting a significant benefit by maybe paying them $6 an hour, which is wonderful to them and wonderful to you as a business owner, and everyone wins, why wouldn't you want to do that? 25:00 - I think there's a lot of typical B2B marketing platforms and methods that may not work as effective because, at the end of the day, especially when you're dealing with professionals, professionals want to speak with other professionals. So, when it comes to the vast majority of our B2B model, it's based on networking and being able to build relationships with other lawyers because you do business with those you know, like, and trust. 30:29 - Hiring is tough. It's one of those skills that's not easily acquired. And when you start bringing people into your company, that's a really big step because now you're responsible for somebody else and possibly their family. And you have to understand that you have a commitment to them, but they also have a commitment to you. And being able to be on the same page, as far as where you're going, you have to be clear with your team. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact James Grant Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie chats with the "Networking Queen," Toni Harris Taylor. Dive into Toni's journey from Cleveland to Houston at 16, and discover how this transformative move has shaped her understanding of diversity and relationships. Get valuable insights into the art of networking, with a spotlight on the importance of showing up, presenting a professional image, and mastering your elevator pitch. Listen as Toni unravels the power of following up, underscored by a recent success story. Learn about the advantages of joining a networking franchise, particularly for minority entrepreneurs. Get a glimpse of Toni's unconventional marketing strategy, using love to drive business growth. Find out how being part of a networking group can enhance your business through community, connections, collaborations, and referrals. Tune in for these and much more – a must-listen for entrepreneurs looking to build meaningful connections! Episode Highlights: 12:06 - I was this close to shutting down the business and going to get a job because I couldn't figure out what my uniqueness was and what my passion was. And when I then started talking to a money mindset coach, she asked me, "What's your why?" And I told her, and she said, "You know, you've accomplished that. You need a new why." 18:08 - You have got show up and look the part. You want to be attractive, so people are like not repelled by you, but attracted to you. You have to have good brand tactics. You have to know your elevator pitch. Who are you? What do you do? What do you say? 21:57 - I want your audience to hear this, especially for brown entrepreneurs. I don't think I'll ever start another business from scratch. Franchising can save you time, money, and energy. You're going to spend that same $40,000 to build it from scratch. It may not be in a lump sum, but if you're going to build something and build it right, you're going to spend the exact same money. Why not plug into a franchise system? Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Toni Harris Taylor Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie chats with tech entrepreneur Artem Koren, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Sembly AI. They delve deep into the world of AI, entrepreneurship, and the secret sauce to achieving success. Artem shares invaluable wisdom, from choosing the right business partner to the importance of securing funding. Listen in as they discuss his journey with start-ups, including an intriguing venture incorporating AI in cancer biopsies. Get a sneak peek into Sembly AI’s groundbreaking technology designed to revolutionize meetings. With exciting features on the horizon, the future looks promising for this AI meeting assistant. Don't miss Artem's perspectives on fostering innovation while maintaining focus. This episode is packed with insights you wouldn't want to miss! Curious? Sign up for a free trial to experience the transformative power of Sembly AI. Episode Highlights: 04:54 - I would say that in any startup or in most startups, the three things that typically take center stage and determine survivability are: your ability to raise capital, your ability to build products, and then the ability to take that product to market. And if you can't put a check mark of some weight in all three of those categories, success is very not guaranteed. 08:29 - If you have a great idea, the best thing is not to start building the tech, but to get a really brilliant designer to create a beautiful visualization of what the tech will be and find those initial investors who will see it, be wowed and will help you get off the ground with that initial investment. 26:15 - Innovation is primary and has always been at Sembly. So, I think it's a factor of just me and how I view innovation. I'm probably on board with Elon Musk, and I believe that ultimately, what makes a company long-term competitive is how quickly it innovates. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Artem Koren LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Angela Lewis, Founder of ALA Public Relations, delves into the intricate world of podcast outreach and the strategy behind getting your message out. Discover her top three criteria for matching clients with shows and learn why a podcast's listener count isn't the end-all for guest appearances. Angela offers a fresh perspective on the role of both podcasts and guests in marketing and shares priceless tips on building a lasting connection beyond the microphone. Don't miss out on her valuable advice tailored for anyone looking to amplify their voice in the digital space. Tune in to hear the full conversation and uncover the secret to earned media success! Episode Highlights: 03:22 - It's knowing who you are, what's important to you, and where you're going to be able to make the decisions about opportunities. Then it's also looking at your skill set and seeing what you're great at, and then being able to see if that opportunity that is presented aligns with something that actually works for you. 13:39 - I chose podcasting because there are a lot of podcasts and the structure of podcast is really long form content. And most podcast hosts actually want to build connections versus someone being hired by a TV station to do this five-minute segment. So, you can really deep dive and get to know people. I work only with people who are service-based or they work for a nonprofit, and the organization has hired me to help share the mission of the organization. 18:21 - Don't be a guest on a podcast without the right equipment. I've heard podcasts where people don't have microphones. My microphone's right here and I wear headphones as well so that there isn't an echo. And you want to have clear, crisp audio. It doesn't matter how much, you know, if people can't hear it. It doesn't matter how much you want to help them if your audio is so bad, that it's distracting. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Angela Lewis LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

In this episode of the Enterprise Now show, Elzie Flenard engages in a conversation with entrepreneur and founder Kimberly Spencer. Kimberly is a certified high performance coach, bestselling writer, health junkie, freedom-lover, & unsinkable optimist. The conversation unfolds into a discussion about Kimberly's entrepreneurial journey, beginning with her decision to drop out of college at 17 to pursue an acting career. Kimberly talks about her coaching business and emphasizes the significance of resilience in entrepreneurship and how self-mastery plays a crucial role in personal and professional development. They discuss the power of taking ownership of one's journey and the transformation that occurs through challenges. Overall, the conversation provides a rich tapestry of Kimberly's entrepreneurial journey, self-mastery principles, coaching philosophy, and the transformative power of podcasting. Highlights: 14:36 - I came up with the idea, but I was doing all the things that I call productive procrastination. It was like doing the logo, like building a business plan. It looked really good, but I felt that there was no money flowing in from it and that whole process, and I had to take ownership of where I felt like my blame ended and where I would stop blaming my former business partner for my current circumstances and my lack of success. In my case, it was in my coaching business. 27:03 - When you've borrowed people's audiences enough, because you've guested on other people's podcasts, they've heard your message, they want to learn more, and you have your own podcast, then they're in an incubator of being able to consume your content, get to know you, understand your messaging, understand your values, and then discern based on long-form content if they want to buy rather than like short 15-second reels, where you're mouthing something that they may forget in a couple of days, like when you take the time to consume a podcast, three out of four people who listen to podcasts listen to learn something new. 30:59 - This is where I get very on with podcasters. Do the guest a favor, release the episode, honor your commitment, and be impeccable with your word, because podcasting can be a really good thing. This is like the secret sauce, guys, like it can be a beautiful way to pick your brain, like where you get the concepts, the knowledge, the book recommendations, the strategies—and you're like, holy crap, I'm getting this for free. Yes, you're getting this because you are committing to share their message and their strategies with the world. What drives me up a wall is when podcasters do that and then they don't release the episodes because only 5 percent of podcasts do, releasing an episode every 90 days. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Kimberly Spencer Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast...

Dive into an invigorating discussion with Elzie and brand alchemist, Kati Pauls of KP Design, as they navigate the transformative landscape of branding and website design. Discover Kati's unique observations on the effects of artificial intelligence on the industry, and learn why she champions specialization over dilution of skills. Gain insights from her personal journey of scaling her business while sticking to her "North Star". Uncover the power of strategic partnerships, and how they've bolstered Kati's business without sacrificing her individuality. This episode offers a glimpse into the complexities of aligning business decisions with lifestyle choices and the art of maintaining authenticity in a rapidly evolving market. Tune in for an enlightening conversation that doesn't shy away from hard truths and thought-provoking insights. Episode Highlights: 06:09 - I'm a specialist. I'm doing this by myself. I'm not growing a team. So, usually when I come across coaching, the first thing is, "Oh, hire this person, hire that person, hire that person. Let's grow the team. That's the only way to scale your business." But that's just not how I work. 10:31 - The Alchemist is my truth. I read it every year, and every time I read it, there's something in it that gives me a message that I wasn't expecting to get. So, when I thought about The Alchemist for myself, it's like, "This makes sense because when someone works with me, they're expecting a transformation of some kind." So, we're taking one thing and transforming it into something else. 13:54 - When you are building your brand, you have to first look at your own brand and ask yourself if you connect. What is your emotional reaction when you see your brand? If the reaction is not great, if you're even just a little bit embarrassed or timid about your brand, that's a problem. If you want to grow your business, your brand has to be able to be out there on your behalf 24/7. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Kati Pauls LinkedIn Website Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Join Elzie and Angela Black, the revered Customer Queen, as they unravel the art of turning customer service lemons into loyalty lemonade. Discover how a small desk mishap with Amazon blossoms into a masterclass on maintaining grace under pressure. Angela's candid tales from the frontline of sales—complete with hang-ups and tears—will equip you with the emotional armor necessary to conquer customer service battles. Meanwhile, Elzie underlines the importance of gratitude, and the pursuit of entrepreneurial dreams. This is not just about keeping customers but it's a deeper dive into why "all money is not good money" and how to respect your business boundaries. Eager for the blueprint to customer recovery and professional poise? Tune in for insight that balances humanity and business, with a sprinkle of tough love. Episode Highlights: 09:11 - I surround myself with people who are doing really well in business and I learned from them. That's what I didn't do and the mistake that I made the first two times was I didn't surround myself with a community of people that were supportive and understood what it's like to be an entrepreneur. I didn't get the help that I needed. I didn't invest in myself, and now I do. 17:54 - Things that you can delegate to people, delegate. And I know people have tight budgets. That's why I say hire your teenage kids, if you have kids that you can hire, but also look into hiring a VA. There are a lot of VAs that are overseas that you could hire to do some of these personal touches for you, even if it's send an email directly to a person and not a mass email. 23:58 - It makes it easier for me to help a larger amount of people because I see there are so many people who have just not even thought about their customer experience, and you're also going to find out how to build your customer journey from the very beginning, where they find out about your business to the time they purchase from you and beyond. That whole customer journey, I'm going to teach you how to build it out and how to plan it. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Angela Black LinkedIn Website Facebook Email Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Elzie chats with Scott Bushkie, a 25-year veteran in business selling and the Founder and Managing Partner of Cornerstone Business Services. They unpack the often overlooked dynamics of selling businesses. Scott compares running a business to training for a marathon and shares practical tips to enhance business value. He provides a sneak peek into the business selling process, from engagement to market entry, and highlights the crucial role of confidentiality. He also teases about the "three-legged stool" concept. The due diligence stage, buyer identification, and crafting compelling business narratives are also emphasized. Scott delves into the unique mid-market segment, where Cornerstone specializes. This episode promises valuable insights for business owners, potential sellers, and anyone intrigued by business transactions! Tune in for an enlightening discussion. Episode Highlights: 11:06 - With most business owners, it's almost like running a marathon where they start out really strong and they're excited, and then they kind of get into this rut and slow down, and it becomes more of a lifestyle business. And also now all the coaches go away, the mile markers go away, and you have no idea where you're in this process, and they don't know where that finish line is. 15:43 - The less important you are to the business ideally, hypothetically, the more valuable the company is. Because what I'm buying, there's a team there that's proven, no one's leaving, and I have a better chance of success moving forward. So, that's the first one. It's really building out your management team. 20:39 - Most business owners, unfortunately, they don't know what their business is worth. So, one day they wake up and say, "I"m burnt out. I'm going to call my CPA or my attorney. I'm going to call my competitor on the street and they'll help me put the deal together, and it'll be easy." Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Scott Bushkie Website LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Meshell Baker, who is a transformational keynote speaker, shares insights on the power of belief, imagination, and gratitude in transforming your life. Meshell delves into how a clear vision and an expansive imagination can help you overcome the hurdles life throws at you. She also emphasizes the necessity of constantly infusing your mind with your audacious goals, and the priceless feeling of joy when your trust in the universe pays off. This episode isn't about superficial achievements, but about architecting a resilient character that remains joyful and valuable no matter what. So, tune in to discover how to create a life that's more than just the acquisitions and accolades. Remember, you are invaluable! Episode Highlights: 26:28 - If you want to master your business and your life, start stepping into the uncomfortable because it is not real. It's an illusion. Fear is not real. Fear is just your mind making up a story based on the historical data of that emotion. If you have a future of wanting success, you have never felt success in this moment. You must train your body to know that fear is success. Success, failure, and mistakes are the opposite sides of the coin. 30:31 - I always tell people to dream big. So, joy comes from satisfaction and fulfillment of a life lived well. Joy is lasting above. Happiness is a temporary emotion. Joy is actually a mindset. And in order to shift your mindset to joy, you must be doing things that give you fulfillment and satisfaction. 31:25 - When you are focused on something that's bigger and greater than you, that you can't see or figure out how you're going to do it, it ignites you from the inside internally. It causes your imagination to start to work in your favor instead of against you. Because that's the only way you're going to fulfill it, is you have to start thinking big and positive, favorable outcomes. Otherwise, you'll never achieve it and it actually helps to elevate your gratitude. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Meshell Baker LinkedIn Facebook Website Email Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

In this lively episode, Elzie engages with entrepreneur, author, and speaker Ramon Ray, exploring a range of topics from small business advocacy to personal branding. Ramon, the founder of Smart Hustle Media, shares insights into his multifaceted role and experiences, emphasizing the power of podcasting in building authentic connections and dedicated tribes. Ramon delves into personal aspects of his life, touching on his nearly 30-year marriage, two adult children, and notable experiences like testifying before Congress and interviewing President Barack Obama. Ramon's perspective on faith, family, and business highlights the centrality of faith in everything he does, reflecting his genuine desire to help others. Ramon provides valuable insights into the principles of building trust and attention, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in the process. The discussion takes a practical turn as Elzie and Ramon explore the challenges of focus and mindset in entrepreneurship. The episode provides valuable takeaways on the nuances of entrepreneurship and relationship-building in the business landscape. Episode Highlights: 04:01- Podcasting is the ultimate way, in my humble opinion, to build your best tribe. Podcasting is something you can't do halfway. People are going to either want to listen to it, download each episode, like getting an episode of SWAT, or take your best channel, whatever it is, they're going to even want to watch it, or they're not. So, that's why I find that podcasting is the ultimate tool of connectivity. 26:07 - Many business owners want sales. I'm a firm believer before they get sales, they should be seeking trust. Before they get trust, they have to have attention. That's why we teach that if you get attention from the right people and start to build trust with them over time, you will make a sale. 43:57 - I'm talking to people of faith. This world is competing against that. I do believe we're in a spiritual war. So, my advice is to be the best business owner you can be, with no shame or blemish. I mean, zero blemish. You have no room for error, no room for error, none, zero margin. So, you are the best business person in the world who happens to be a person of faith and then, whatever your devotions or your connection to God may be, mine may be different than yours in particular, but if we're talking to people who are on the same wavelength, be filled in that every day. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Ramon Ray Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Celebrity CEO Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town

Phil Johnson, the mind behind the Master of Business Leadership program imparts his wisdom on the importance of authentic listening and shares how it can deepen relationships and foster personal success. He also delves into the powerful impact of aligning individual and organizational goals. Hear more about what the Master of Business Leadership program offers and how it's helping individuals and companies attain their goals. Tune in now to get exceptional insights on the difference between intellectual and experiential learning. Episode Highlights: 06:06 - We go into what psychologists refer to as an amygdala hijack. Some people lash out, some people run away, some people freeze like a deer in headlights. When that happens in conflict situations, people die. When it happens in business or personal situations, relationships die. We burn trust. 13:50 - When we're unconsciously giving away our energy, it creates an energy deficit in us. So, at the same time we're giving away our energy over here, we're simultaneously trying to replace that energy by stealing energy from other people over here. And that dynamic is going on inside of everybody, everywhere in the world, all the time. And that is the root cause of all drama, chaos, and conflict. 17:39 - Think of the organization as an engine and think of the employees as the pistons in that engine. By aligning the individual vision to the organizational vision, you're going to create a much more engaged, smoother running organization that's more highly, highly engaged. If the employee doesn't see how the organizational success is aligned with their individual view of success, they're not going to be that engaged. The employee has to understand what it is they want to achieve, and they have to understand the organization's view of success, and you have to create that alignment, because if that alignment's not there, you're not going to have the level of engagement that you want to have to succeed. Connect with Elzie LinkedIn Support the journey Launch OR re-launch your podcast Join the JTM Community Contact Phil Johnson LinkedIn Zoom Calendar Mentioned in this episode: Podcast Town Check out our services for your B2B brand! Grow With Podcast Town