The Influential Personal Brand Podcast

From pro baseball player to successful real estate investor to serial entrepreneur, Ryan Pineda knows a thing or two about building wealth! In 2015, he leveraged a small amount of capital to launch a house-flipping business that grew to include hundreds of flips, even more rentals, and six multimillion-dollar companies, amassing over a million social media followers in the process. Ryan joins us today to share his story and some surprisingly simple strategies to help you live what he calls the Wealthy Way. Tuning in, you’ll learn why social media is such a powerful tool, practical tips for running successful in-person live events, and how you can benefit from being a mission-driven businessperson. We also discuss the role that his Christian faith has played in his success, why watch time is a more important metric than followers or views, how to build trust with your audience, and much more! Ryan’s story is an inspiration for anyone pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams, emphasizing the importance of persistence, resilience, and a willingness to adapt and pivot when circumstances change. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this conversation!

Almost everyone has a story inside them that is bursting to be told, but timing is indeed everything. So, how do you know when it’s the right time to sit down and begin writing? Today, AJ recaps our recent conversation with the best-selling author, Bill Blankschaen, to highlight everything you need to know about writing your first words. First, it’s important to understand that writing a book is a time-consuming process and one that you should never rush. Then, we learn about the importance of knowing your book’s purpose and intent before writing your first word, and why you’ll know you’re ready to write a book when you’re willing to talk about it, on repeat, for at least two years.

Writing is a unique medium in that it requires one-way communication to feel like a two-way conversation, and without any context pertaining to the reader who is, essentially, a stranger. So, for your written words to resonate with someone you’ve never met, you need to have a certain something that separates you from the rest, and that is why today, with the help of Bill Blankschaen, we will be exploring everything that it takes to become a great writer. Bill is an accomplished best-selling author and is also the Founder and Chief Story Architect of StoryBuilders – a creative group of story architects and story artisans who empower individuals and organizations to tell stories that make the world a better place. After explaining his entry into writing, how he started working with Jon Maxwell’s team, and how being mission-driven allowed him to grow, Bill walks us through the timing of writing a book, when to publish it, and how to choose the best publishing route. Our guest then shares his thoughts on what it takes to be a great writer, how to write your first words, the role of technology and AI in modern writing, and why “collaborative writing” is a more accurate term to use than ghostwriting. To end, we learn about how StoryBuilders brings dreams to fruition, and how you can connect with Bill to elevate your storytelling to the next level.

It’s not just you. Networking is uncomfortable! Standing self-consciously in the corner with a drink in your hand and a name badge on your chest is a more common experience than you might realize. Join us today on the Influential Personal Brand Podcast as we dive into three top tips to help you break the ice, take the pressure off new relationships, feel less awkward at networking events, and meet more people to grow your business!

How can small businesses apply big business principles to help them scale faster? To help us answer this question, we’re joined by an early Brand Builders Group member who has climbed the ladder in the financial and telecoms industries, built several businesses, and advised both US and international corporations from startups to billion-dollar enterprises. As an expert in sales, operations, and growing revenue, April Garcia knows what it takes to scale a business! A few years ago, she decided to pivot and work with small businesses to help them succeed. In this episode, she shares some of those success secrets and offers practical advice to help small business owners think big, stop iterating, and start selling. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the importance of processes, why product development should be messy, how to focus on who you should serve, not who you can serve, what is missing from the SMART goals format, and so much more. You won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with international business advisor, performance coach, and strategy and mindset speaker, April Garcia!

Even if you aren’t an entrepreneur, this episode is for you, because it’s all about cultivating an ownership mindset in every aspect of your life. Join us as we walk you through the five things you need for a rock-solid entrepreneurial mindset. You’ll also learn how to build as you grow, how to put sales first, why serving your community should be prioritized over growth, and why you should never settle for anything less than hiring the very best!

Recently, we’ve taken a step back to observe and appreciate the incredible growth that we’ve achieved over the years at Brand Builders Group. In this solo episode with AJ, you’ll learn eight important lessons to help you on your journey to eight figures. We discuss sales and revenue, the simple law of economics, how to be versatile and flexible, and everything you need to know about hiring the right talent. We also cover the advantages of requesting feedback from customers and then acting on it, why it helps to deliver at least 10x more value than your prices suggest, the necessity of care, developing a trustworthy team, and the power of putting God (or your spirituality) first, plus so much more!

A key principle we teach at Brand Builder’s Group is the idea that the depth of your impact is far more important than the width of your reach because, ultimately, new customers are the most expensive and returning customers are the most profitable! Today on the Influential Personal Brand Podcast, we delve into six tips to help you scale the profits of your personal brand. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about the Fractal Math Concept, why new customers are the most expensive kind, and how our community can serve you and your personal brand for life. We even break down key questions we always ask ourselves to increase monetization by providing better services to our customers. This episode is jam-packed with pearls of wisdom that will help you scale your personal brand to new heights, so be sure to press play now!

Most personal brands you may come across often do not have associated businesses. Creating a personal brand you can leverage for an enterprise requires a vastly different approach. In this episode, we sit down with Jeremie Kubicek to discuss how to turn your personal brand into a business with enterprise value. Jeremie is one of the best in the personal brand space and is a globally recognized keynote speaker, author, and relational intelligence expert who has been transforming leaders and teams since 2013. He is also the CEO and co-founder of GiANT Worldwide, a global media and content development company. In our conversation, we unpack the steps needed to build a scalable enterprise and the main takeaways of his new book, The Communication Code. We discuss his experience in the enterprise space, how he closed a significant sponsorship deal, and his entrepreneurial roots in events. Hear about the gap he saw in the content space and how it led to a scalable business. Discover how he is helping build businesses and communities through his brand while generating revenue. Explore how he cultivated his brand into a SaaS company, built a growing and recurring revenue, and his alternative partnership-centric approach to business. Gain insights into effective communication, unlocking The Communication Code, the five code words of communication, and much more! Tune in now!

For anyone getting ready to launch a product or service, it can be tempting to try and make your offer as sophisticated and perfect as you possibly can. The problem is that you’ll probably never feel like you’re ready to launch! If you’re someone who tends to overthink things, then we’d like to offer you an honest and straightforward solution to the question ‘How do you know when you’re ready to launch?’ And while there is a time and place for more complex solutions like a fancy website, webinars, and more, there’s really only one thing that you need to have in place to launch your business. Join AJ today, as she unpacks the one simple question you need to ask and find out if you’re ready to launch your business. The answer may surprise you!

Are you eager to start a business or grow your company but feel like you need to build a massive online following first? What if you could permit yourself to take the next step before things were perfectly aligned? If you’ve been struggling with questions like these, then you won’t want to miss today’s conversation with Melanie Ann Layer, Founder and CEO of Alpha Femme, a global coaching and mentoring company that has helped countless clients transform not just their businesses but also their lives. Tuning in, you’ll learn how Melanie first built her company from the ground up without the help of paid advertising, funding, or social media, all while working out of her car, and how she got to where she is today. She shares how her desire to transform her client's lives fueled the growth of her business, why authenticity was instrumental to her organic online growth, and how she made her first million with only 284 clients and fewer than 10,000 followers on Instagram. If you’d like to learn more about Melanie’s inspirational journey and how she achieved her success without a huge audience, then be sure to tune in for this eye-opening conversation!

Building a sustainable business, focusing on systems, and developing people is far more profitable in the long run than any viral marketing campaign could ever be. That being said, a successfully viral social media post can have the reach of a major game-day commercial for a fraction of the cost, so it’s certainly a tool worth having in your toolkit! In this episode, we share four techniques to make your content go viral. From trends to watch for to the anatomy of a ‘hook’, how to create one, and much more, this podcast is jam-packed with tips and strategies to help you cut through the digital clutter, command attention, and transform your content into a viral sensation, so be sure to tune in today!

Imagine a life where you connect with your true self and ignite a spark that transforms your existence into an exhilarating journey filled with purpose, passion, and untapped possibilities. This is the essence of Passion Struck, a movement founded by behavior change expert, John R. Miles. John has captivated millions with his globally renowned podcast and national radio show, making a significant impact as a thought leader in the fields of self-leadership and personal mastery. As an author, entrepreneur, and sought-after keynote speaker John blends practical wisdom with relatable anecdotes to make seemingly complex ideas more accessible and inspiring. In today’s episode, John joins us to talk about the science behind behavior change and delves into some powerful principles to unlock your purpose and “ignite your most intentional life” from his groundbreaking book, Passion Struck. Tuning in, you’ll hear about the importance of listening to your inner voice, how to align action with intention, tips for building an authentic personal brand, and so much more. You won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation about overcoming self-doubt, unleashing your highest potential, and all things personal growth!

Building a community is part of a business. After having an amazing conversation with Lindsey Schwartz, who founded Powerhouse Women, this episode covers some of the highlights. We talk about the difference between building a community and having an audience, unpack culture-building and what it ideally achieves, and explore what it means to establish a shared mission among your ideal community members. Finally, hear how we have found creative and tactically sufficient ways for people to connect with one another at Brand Builder’s Group, and some essential principles to help you to do the same. Thanks for listening!

If you are in a season of figuring out how to build an engaged community around your personal brand and your business, this is a custom-designed episode for you! It’s also been created for those looking to create more engagement for their online and offline community. If you’re someone who wants to create live offline experiences, this is for you too. Lindsey Schwartz is an author, investor and master community builder, and the Founder of Powerhouse Women, where she is fiercely committed to supporting other women. Tune in today to hear Lindsey’s story, from the humble beginnings of her community-focused business to her powerful definition of faith, and her plans for the future. She shares three crucial elements to facilitating a truly engaged community with practical examples of how to get started, offers an insider’s perspective on the task of running big events, and much more. Thanks for tuning in!

Rory’s recent conversation with CEO and Podcast Host, Hala Taha, revealed eight winning strategies for how to grow your podcast into a global sensation. In this episode, we revisit Hala’s approach by paying special attention to the power of appearing on other podcasts, the value of intimate engagement and emotive content, the importance of consistency, and the secrets to booking high-profile guests. We also take a look at some simple tricks that podcasters can easily implement before discussing why podcasting is the most overlooked prospecting strategy of all time.

Today’s guest is known as the Podcast Princess. Hala Taha is the host of a huge podcast called the Young and Profiting Podcast, which regularly reaches number one on the business and entrepreneurship charts. She is also the Founder and CEO of YAP Media and a top LinkedIn influencer supporting others to create success on the platform. Join us as Hala shares her wealth of wisdom on how to create and measure podcast growth, set up trades with fellow hosts, make the most of digital databases, and more! We discuss direct sponsorship techniques, budgeting according to your stage of growth, and the benefits of dynamic insertion. Tune in for for a deep dive into the world of social media for business and making the most of your platform as a podcaster today!

Most people avoid awkwardness like the plague. Our conversation with Henna Pryor explores what it means to embrace awkwardness to give yourself an advantage when you connect with your audience. During this recap conversation, we discuss what it might mean to embrace awkwardness and turn it into an advantage and how both AJ and Rory have done so as they have built Brand Builders. Tune in to hear two examples of embarrassing experiences that became opportunities to be relatable and establish a sense of comfort and ease. Listen in to hear all this and more today!

Awkwardness is part of life. But not many of us know how to navigate it, let alone leverage it for success. During this episode, Henna Pryor joins us to discuss the superpower of embracing awkwardness. Among her many accolades, she is an award-winning TEDx speaker, sought-after workplace expert, and international keynote speaker. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Henna’s experiences of growing up and feeling awkward, entering the staffing industry, and finding her calling in speaking. Learn how she has honed her skills as a powerful public speaker, how she went about testing for and establishing an audience for her book, and what her life as a speaker looks like in a day-to-day sense. Henna shares her perspective on our weakening social musculature and offers a definition for awkwardness and ‘good awkwardness’. We discuss using embarrassment to create loyalty, why you should never cater to your audience, and what it looks like to prioritize your response to this inevitable experience. Thanks for tuning in!

What does it take to write great copy? And how can you master it to reach your audience and share your message? In today’s conversation, you’ll hear Rory share his top three copywriting secrets for producing persuasive copy and the key lessons he’s learned over the course of his career. Using his best-selling book Take The Stairs as a jumping-off point, Rory unpacks what it means to sell the destination instead of the vehicle, the role of pain copy, and how to write excellent pay-off text. Listen now to hear all the details of these three copywriting secrets, and transform how you communicate with your audience!