Absolute Advantage Podcast

David Hauser has built a number of successful companies in the startup space, both organically and inorganically. He is the founder of Grasshopper, which was acquired by Citrix after he bootstrapped the company to $30M+. David founded Chargify and made it profitable, securing a Mark Cuban investment. He founded ReturnPath and is a founding member of National Entrepreneurs' Day (http://entrepreneursday.org). David is an angel investor in Intercom, Unbounce, Munchery, Groove and more. He is a public speaker at FOWA, Big Omaha, LessConf, SuperConf, Entrepreneurs Organization, and has received major media coverage by CNN, Fox, Inc. Magazine, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Inc. 30 Under 30.

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As leaders and business owners, we prioritize other people's needs. It is part of what makes us great leaders in the first place. You signed up for long days and late nights when you entered this world, but you can only operate at full capacity when you put your oxygen mask on first. Sometimes, to help others, you have to help yourself. David Hauser explores that notion and more in his new book, Unstoppable.

We preach the importance of health and wellness, but we don't always practice it ourselves. David Hauser struggled to prioritize self-care in the hustle-hard culture of modern entrepreneurship—a position that many of us are in right now. You have to recognize that there is no 'right' time to start practicing self-care and stop putting it off. When you achieve balance and become the best version of yourself, your business will reflect that. Health and wellness is a great place to start.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, David Hauser joins us to share his journey of personal development. He discusses the key principles in his book, "Unstoppable," such as the optimization mindset, the myths surrounding diet and exercise, and the top things you should be paying attention to on your own journey.

Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.absoluteadvantagepodcast.com for more content that inspires, encourages and helps you grow and make an impact QUICKLY both professionally and personally.

Ways to contact David Hauser:

• Website: https://www.unstoppablebook.com/
• Twitter: @dh

Jennifer Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur, dynamic speaker and diversity and inclusion expert. She is the founder, president, and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC), a strategic leadership and diversity consulting firm that coaches business leaders worldwide on critical issues of talent and workplace strategy. Brown is a passionate advocate for social equality who helps businesses foster healthier, more productive workplace cultures. Her book Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace & the Will to Change (2016) will inspire leadership to embrace the opportunity that diversity represents and empower advocates to drive change that resonates in today's world. Jennifer's second book, How to Be an Inclusive Leader, is available everywhere!

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Many of us look at leadership and say, "I don't see anyone that looks like me or shares my story." We leave parts of ourselves at home for fear of not being accepted. Jennifer Brown has been a member of the LGBTQ community for 22 years, and she struggled with her self-image in almost every role. Today, she is working with businesses and leaders across the country to eradicate that fear.

As a consultant and speaker, Jennifer has worked with Fortune 500 corporations like Wal-Mart and Microsoft to help them integrate strategies of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. But small businesses are starting to adopt these practices as well. Companies need a culture that promotes inclusivity because they will only recruit and retain the top talent if people can bring their full selves to work. It is a significant competitive differentiator.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage, Jennifer Brown discusses the "full self" and the advantages of bringing it to work. She explains the impact that building a culture of inclusivity has on small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike. Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.absoluteadvantagepodcast.com for more content that inspires, encourages and helps you grow and make an impact QUICKLY both professionally and personally.

Ways to contact Jennifer Brown:

• Website: jenniferbrownspeaks.com
• Twitter: @jenniferbrown

John Waid has thirty years of sales and sales leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies and twelve years of senior consulting experience in the learning and development field. John earned his MBA in International Business from a top program and is fluent in three languages which has allowed him to work in Europe, North, Central and South America. He started his own firm, C3—Corporate Culture Consulting, to work with leaders and their companies on their cultures.

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John Waid is the founder and CEO of C3, a firm that specializes in aligning an organization's culture with its strategic goals. In his experience, culture represents the relationship of values and behaviors within an organization. When your organization's values are well-defined, employee behavior is the best indicator of how the values are being exemplified.

Values are implemented by profound leaders, and leaders are people that others follow voluntarily. Leaders are responsible for the culture, coaches are responsible for the growth, and managers are responsible for operational excellence. Although all of those components play a role in the organization's success, you cannot achieve growth and operational excellence with a frail culture.

The most well-run companies put their employees first, their customers second, and their profits third. At the top of the pyramid is your leader or the ambassador of your culture, and at the base is your results. Everything in between determines how much you are going to grow. However, many organizations do not have a structure like that in place.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage, John Waid explains the direct link between a company's culture and its performance. He shares his methodology and talks about the role of culture in recruiting, growth, and ultimately, profit. Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.absoluteadvantagepodcast.com for more content that inspires, encourages and helps you grow and make an impact QUICKLY both professionally and personally.

Ways to contact John Waid:

• Website: https://corporatecultureconsulting.com/

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Erik Salzenstein's story is one that truly shows the power of change and what's possible. From greed and addiction to purpose and fulfillment. Erik found himself facing life in prison, with his back against the wall where he finally had to face his worst enemy up until that point…himself.

What stands out that he had to go to prison to find freedom and realized he was in his own prison long before actually being behind bars. He then went on to spend 4 years relentlessly pursuing personal growth, coaching, speaking, running workshops and even being published in a newspaper all while in prison. He developed a 4 step process using the acronym ROCK that allowed him to tap into his full potential and develop the ROCK solid foundation needed to transform and build his life on. He's since used this process with much success to his clients lives.

Erik is a powerful and sought out speaker and transformational coach who shares his signature talk "From Prison to Prosperity" and takes people through his ROCK process and helps them break free from the constructs of their own prison.

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Erik Salzenstein was facing life in prison at just 23 years old, but as his freedom was being ripped away, Erik realized that he was never free in the first place. None of his decisions were made in a heightened state of mind because fear, doubt, and insecurity fueled his M.O. The deeper he crawled into that hole, the higher the stakes became, and Erik finally realized that to grow as a human being, he had to believe that he could achieve something more.

At that point, he was able to embark on a journey of personal transformation, bringing as many others as he could along with him. By tapping into his own experience of self-discovery, Erik could help others step into their greater selves by making choices that align with their core values and beliefs.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, Erik Salzenstein joins host Kelly Hatfield to share his story and talk about helping people understand who they really are so they can make decisions that embody the best version of that. Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.absoluteadvantagepodcast.com for more content that inspires, encourages and helps you grow and make an impact QUICKLY both professionally and personally.

Ways to contact Erik Salzenstein:

• Website: www.eriksalzenstein.com

John Livesay, aka The Pitch Whisperer, is a sales keynote speaker and shares the lessons learned from his award-winning sales career at Conde Nast. In his keynote Better Selling Through Storytelling, he shows companies sales teams how to become irresistible so they are magnetic to their ideal clients. After John speaks, the sales team becomes revenue rock stars who know how to form an emotional connection and a compelling sales story with clients. His TEDx talk: Be The Lifeguard of your own life has over 1,000,000 views. His best selling book is Better Selling Through Storytelling.

He is also the host of The Successful Pitch podcast, which is heard in over 60 countries. These interviews make him a sales keynote speaker with fresh and relevant content. Audiences love him because they know hes been in their shoes.

John has been interviewed by Larry King and appeared on TV as an expert on How To Ask For What You Want And Get A Yes. John currently lives in Los Angeles with his King Charles Spaniel, Pepe, who welcomes him home after he returns from being a sales keynote speaker, reminding him of the importance of belly rubs.

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As a leader, the right direction is not always clear, but establishing a personal brand will give you parameters that you can always fall back on. John Livesay taps into his background in advertising to provide strategic insights for building your brand and communicating it through the art of storytelling.

Storytelling is what makes us memorable, and whether you are making the first touchpoint or trying to close, creating an emotional connection is the key to playing the long game. Crafting a compelling narrative is one of the most effective methods to accomplish this, and with the proper strategy, your sales team will be able to attract key prospects at a point in the sales cycle when they are ready to spend.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, John Livesay joins host Kelly Hatfield to share his story and talk about the fundamental components that make storytelling an effective pitch strategy. If you tell the best story, you're going to get the 'yes,' so find out how to move "from invisible to irresistible," with John Livesay.

Ways to contact John Livesay:

• Book: Better Selling Through Storytelling
• Website: www.johnlivesay.com
• Twitter: @john_livesay
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlivesay/

Ric Lindberg is a freelancer who helps global organizations with business intelligence and team development based on coaching, metrics and KPIs. He is a deep technical data-nerd who understand the desire to replace tools and processes for better results, but having worked within business intelligence for 24 years, Ric learned that it's never about the tool. The path to better and lasting change requires leadership way more than tools.

He's been podcasting for more than 5 years about self-leadership, focus and relationship building on the show Relationship Power at work and has now turned into a beginner YouTuber helping parents better connect to their computer gamer children. Ric helps you Connect and Levelup.

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By helping businesses harness the power of advanced analytics and team development, Ric Lindberg works with his clients to build a stronger connection between the employees and their work. Lindberg's process combines a technical background in computers with intra-organizational analysis to create custom strategies based on the unique business problems of each client.

As a freelance consultant, Lindberg has spent years refining the skill of empathic listening which allows him to construct metrics-based solutions with a deep understanding of a business's functionality. His approach is very data-centric, but software and tools are only a small part of the work he does.

When leaders become more vulnerable and start to understand the worldview of others, it opens a pathway for connection that yields higher productivity and better team chemistry. Ric Lindberg is helping leaders tap into that by eliminating the traditional power dynamic and coaching them to unlock the full extent of their teams' capabilities.

Ways to contact Ric Lindberg:

• Website: www.RicLindberg.com
• Twitter: @RicLindberg
• LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/riclindberg?trk=people-guest_profile-result-card_result-card_full-click

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Joe Williams helps coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs become world-class communicators!

Joe is the Founder of Creative Performance Group, where he helps people get their message out to the world in the most powerful way possible. He created the Master Your Message Bootcamp, an intensive training that has created hundreds of other successful speakers, coaches, consultants, and authors. In addition to live events, consulting, and corporate programs, Joe lead the Impact Entrepreneur group a high-end mentorship program for professional speakers, coaches, and consultants.

His new book "The Impact Awakening: How to go from having a calling to changing lives", focuses on how to master your message, communicate it powerfully, and scale it into an Impact Business.

Joe is a passionate student and trainer of personal and professional development techniques he has worked with and spoken for peak performance coach Anthony Robbins for over 20 years.

Joe's work has led him to consult with companies in a number of fields such as financial services, aerospace, retail business, internet and software, direct sales, publishing, entertainment, and the federal government. Joe is professionally responsible for helping his clients create over $50 Billion in new business.

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Both of Joe Williams' parents went to prison for tax evasion when he was just a teenager, and his drive to produce results was born almost instantaneously. Williams had a knack for entrepreneurship and managed to take his company public at only twenty-six, but it didn't take long before he realized that shuffling around an office was not his passion.

Williams developed a friendship with Tony Robbins in the late 90s who gave him the opportunity to discover his true passion; public speaking, mentorship, and coaching. Now, Williams works with people who are trying to reinvent themselves and helps them take their calling, story, message, or gift, and create an action plan to bring it to the world.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage Podcast, Williams joins host Kelly Hatfield to share his story and discuss the methodology he uses to make transformational strides with his clients' endeavors. Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.impactawakeningbook.com for a free pdf of Williams' new book.

Ways to contact Joe Williams:

• Website: www.creativeperformancegroup.com
• Free ebook: www.impactawakeningbook.com
• Twitter: @joebwilliams
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joebwilliams

Jonathan Keyser is the founder and thought leader behind Keyser, the largest tenant rep commercial real estate brokerage/consulting firm in Arizona. Through his disruptive focus on selfless service, Jonathan is re-shaping the commercial real estate industry, and his firm has quickly become one of the fastest-growing CRE firms in the country, representing companies globally across multiple industries.

Jonathan is thrilled to share his journey and mission of selfless service through his highly-anticipated book, You Dont Have to Be Ruthless to Win (hitting bookshelves in mid 2019). A strong supporter of the Conscious Capitalism movement, Jonathan is eagerly working toward the upcoming launch of The Keyser Institute to inspire and equip the next generation of selfless leaders. Jonathan is passionate about helping and empowering others, and has been involved in many different executive and nonprofit organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix and several business leadership organizations in Arizona. He is also spearheading an initiative to connect Arizona business leaders, alongside Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (www.arizonabusinesscommunity.com).

On the personal side, Jonathan prioritizes family. He is a loving and devoted father to wife and four children. Jonathan is extremely committed to personal development and self-improvement, and he stays active with mountain/water sports, spin, and hiking.

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With a background that instilled concrete values and a strong moral compass, Jonathan Keyser had a difficult decision to make when he entered the world of commercial real estate. It wasn't necessarily that Keyser had ill will, he just didn't know how else to succeed in that industry other than to become a ruthless prick. After years of clawing his way up the food chain with one self-serving act after another, Keyser eventually attended a conference that flipped his perspective on building relationships by revealing the success that can result from helping people.

Keyser is not hustling an instant-gratification, get-rich-quick scheme. His methodology focuses on creating long-term, sustainable success by nurturing relationships through selfless service. It was a grueling transition for him to make, but Keyser is a completely different person now. He is the founder of a commercial real estate brokerage that is built on the principle of succeeding by helping others succeed, and he trains all of his team members to live out that value in all facets of their lives.

In this episode of the Absolute Advantage podcast, Jonathan Keyser joins host Kelly Hatfield to share his journey and discuss the challenges and successes he experienced on the path of selfless service. Keyser breaks down his philosophy and highlights all of the key principles that business leaders can follow to reach a higher level of happiness and success. Click here to listen to the episode, and make sure to visit www.absoluteadvantagepodcast.com for more informative episodes about pushing the boundaries of your leadership potential.

Ways to contact Jonathan Keyser:

• Website: www.keyserco.com
• Twitter: @KeyserWay

Carey Jenkins had an unconventional path to CEO of Substantial, a Seattle-based digital product studio that has worked with companies like Amazon, Mercedes Benz, and the Wall Street Journal. In 2012, Carey joined the client services team, and six short years later she became the CEO. As the sixth female employee and first mother hired at Substantial, Carey is proud that Substantial has grown the female employee base to 37% overall and 40% on the leadership team, and she is committed to empowering other women to seize more leadership opportunities.

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Beyond the excitement of graduating from college, many students wander out of the auditorium as lost souls. Their failure to recognize opportunity in disguise creates a void of purpose, but it is important to acknowledge that no one in history had a road map to success. Carey Jenkins' story emphasizes the importance of framing adverse situations differently to become more resilient. Ironically, her success story is more of a collection of failures than successes, but in this episode of Absolute Advantage, she explains how a will to learn from them will only tear you down and rebuild you stronger.

Jenkins' toolbox as a CEO includes project management, people management, writing, and public speaking, but not a single one of those skills came from her experience in one role or industry. They are the culmination of all her past experiences and failures, which led to greater opportunities that she was already prepared for. Jenkins faced many challenges climbing the ranks to become a female executive, but she made it to the top because of her capacity to lead and adapt to adversity—any one is capable when they start asking "why not me" instead of "why me."

Throughout her journey, Jenkins was always hungry for feedback and coaching, but what set her apart was the ability to step into really uncomfortable situations and recognize her value to the company. This relentless mindset drove her to fight tooth and nail for the CEO position when the opportunity presented itself, and it proved that you can always pull yourself up if you're prepared to do so.

Ways to contact Carey Jenkins:

• Website: https://substantial.com/
• Twitter: @Substantial
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careyvjenkins

After their business crumbled due to a sudden illness that had Joeel bedridden for a year, Joeel (jo-ELL) and Natalie Rivera (ri-VAIR-uh) decided they never wanted to be in that situation again. So they dedicated themselves to converting their training and speaking programs into online courses that would outlive them and would provide passive income. They reached over 100,000 students from 191 countries in only 3 years. They believe that entrepreneurship is the ultimate form of empowerment. Today they teach INDIEpreneurs how to create a purpose-driven business in this new economy so they can monetize their passion and live life on their terms.

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Joeel and Natalie Rivera both had entrepreneurial dreams early on, but what brought them together was their desire to help others, create a legacy, and make an impact on the community. After their paths merged, Joeel and Natalie found a collective calling to establish a multitude of platforms that would help business leaders in the community grow. As fate would have it, their devotion to the cause quickly caught up with them and Joeel fell severely ill, completely incapacitated and unable to work.

The adversity Joeel faced culminated a desire to build something that would outlive him, so Joeel and Natalie began converting all of their content into videos that were accessible to a much larger audience. All of their students have an expertise that they haven't acknowledged yet, so the Riveras thrive on helping students identify their passions in order to monetize and share them with the world. The courses are not necessarily complex and a lot of them are built around simple skills that other people are hungry to learn; if it is something you can teach, it is something you can turn into a passive income and anything is possible.

For the most part, a lot of the information being taught is already out there, but the reason people pay for these courses is because Joeel and Natalie's students provide packaged content that is taught step by step. A lot of changes are taking place as the capacity to do business online grows, so people are searching for more niche information as they develop new skills to keep up with the shift. That demand is only growing with people looking to make a greater impact in this world, by stepping into themselves and assuming a growth mindset. In this episode of Absolute Advantage, Joeel and Natalie explain how you can accomplish that by uncovering your passions and sharing them with others. Click here to listen to the episode.

Ways to contact Joeel and Natalie Rivera:

• Website: http://www.transformation-academy.com
• Special Link: onlinecourserevolution.com/absolute
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformation-services-inc-