This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur is Jake Kiefer. Jake is a serial entrepreneur, founder of the Pro Basketball combine, that has been called the “Steph Curry of speaking.” He helps entrepreneurs and freedom seekers build their dream business by creating world class networks that create raving customers, unlimited freedom, and epic life experiences.

Jake has been featured everywhere from NBC to ESPN, USA Today, Forbes and on and on. He’s reached his success by being a master networker and creating opportunities within his network and starting businesses.

I could not think of a better guy to come on the show and teach you how to build and grow your network and use it to succeed.

www.JakeKelfer.com

@JakeKelfer on Instagram

Jake has always been a “hungry” kid. Growing up his dream was to play for the Lakers. But, at 5’8’’, that wasn’t going to happen. So, Jake studied to be a sports agent to be able to work with the players and the Lakers in some way. He was willing to do whatever he could. Coming out of college, he put his hustle and what he had learned to work and go a job with the Lakers to work in corporate partnerships.

He got to be on the court and work in the business and with the players every day.

“In the pursuit of greatness, you must always be willing to take action every day because great things will happen when we don’t expect them or how we expect them.”

It wasn’t too long before he realized that it was time to move on and start his own business career. He started his first business, launched several books, building a combine for the NBA, and teaching entrepreneurs how to build a 6-figure business – all from creating world class networks.

How do you build a world class network and get in the room with the right people?

• It is not about personality. Every person has their own unique communication style.
• The key is to understand it, embrace it, and then learn to use it to your advantage.
• Networking does not take the time that people think it does. It can be done as simply as sending out a few messages per day that takes 15 mins.
• Start small with your networking efforts. For example, if you want to be on more podcast, start by reaching out to one person per week, then one per day, and so on.
• Make a list of your 1-2 steppers. These are people that are 1-2 steps above you that could be highly beneficial in your life and business.
• Do research and be open in honest in your communication.
• Once you get going, it is like a snowball that keeps going and growing. ​

Where is the first place someone should start?

• Identify who you want to network with and why.
• Then identify the best place in which to connect with them. Meet them where they are…
• Then look at the how – How is the best way to connect with them?
• Leverage the power of other networks like social media to help.

How do you cut through the noise so people that you want to network with actually get your message and connect with you?

• Don’t copy and paste. Use their name and know about them so you can reference it in your communication.
• Always find a commonality between you and the person you are reaching out to. Find something you can make personal in your communication.
• Let the person know how you came across them or heard about them.
• Give one sentence about who you and leave it open for future communication.

Once you build a network, how to do you cultivate it, engage it, and start to make it work for you?

• One-time outreach is an interaction, but a relationship is an experience.
• Building a relationship and network is selling. Selling yourself.
• You need to craft an experience.
• First, after the initial outreach, be the one to follow up on next steps. Take initiative and execute on any action steps.
• Make it easy and remove any obstacles.
• Second, update your contact at a time interval that makes sense. Give before you get as well. Create value.
• In every relationship you have the starting phase, development phase, and the growth phase.
• Following up takes you from the start to development phase. And then you progress to growth as you interact futher.
• You then get the “Triple Win.” That is where each person is winning and others impacted by the relationship as well.

71 things you must do to turn your network into a 6-figure business. Give us a few...

• F-U. It’s all about the follow up. You need a solid process.
• The rule of 3. You want to have 3 types of people to reach out to every week. A prospect, a customer, and a 1-2 stepper. That is 50 every single year in each group.
• We are all people and share the same desires. How can you make sure someone feels appreciated, loved, etc.
• You can get a free copy from Jake’s site at https://www.jakekelfer.com/

At the 25 min mark, Jake talks about using a network to create a 6-figure business….

• The game of life is meant to be enjoyed. And the best way to enjoy is to surround yourself with the right people. This leads to great business and life.
• Jake shares the story of his connections with the founder of MVMT watches.
• You never know who you are talking to until you know. In other words, everyone has something that can impact us. Don’t discredit people because they cannot help you right now as you never know where they come in in the future.
• Example of other speakers are not competitors. Instead, Jake networked with the competition to be a resource for speaking gigs others could not do. This has led to 10’s of thousands per year.

Has anything changed in the age of coronavirus?

• Not much from an in-person standpoint, but the opportunities to connect are more abundant that ever.
• More people are spending time on their phones than ever before and are more widely available. Y
• ou just need to be willing to put yourself out there.
• Instagram is the best platform for Jake right now because it is one of the few platforms where people are responding themselves.

At the 37 min mark, Jake talks about creating the Pro Basketball Combine and the business lessons he’s learned. It’s best to just listen.

Tell us what it means to “Elevate beyond the competition.”

• We play the game of life
• Competition is part of any game.
• You have to be better than the competition and sometimes the competition is ourselves.
• When you become super clear on what success looks like to you, you don’t have to compare yourself – you just go after it.
• And when you are clear, you make better decisions because you know exactly what greatness looks like and you can pursue it relentlessly.
• Surround yourself with the right people and those that help you grow, push you, and get better.
• Think in terms of investment, not cost.
• Execute in spite of any hurdle that gets in your way.

 

Best Quote: In the pursuit of greatness, you must always be willing to take action every day because great things will happen when we don’t expect them or how we expect them.

 

Jake's Misfit 3:

The only shortcut in life is to start now.

Live in the moment and enjoy the journey.

Take one action related to your network every single day to build a world class network.

 

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