In this episode of All-In, Daniel exchanges lessons applicable to both business and life with Sam Moss, a young entrepreneur navigating his niche in the world of B2B website development and design. The conversation touches on a number of themes that share one thing in common: the value of clarity. Whether it’s defining the clients that best suit your business goals or fully embracing being a dad, Sam and Daniel agree that successful visions are all about two things: keeping it simple and keeping it clear. The 1ClickAgency that Sam founded in upstate New York with his dad has taken a path that will be familiar to entrepreneurs from all industries. It involved a process of figuring out the rapport with small businesses versus a B2B orientation, learning how to discuss money head-on with clients and resisting the fear of losing clients by choosing to narrow the focus. Defining a niche is not self-limiting, says Sam. It’s liberating!

If there’s one word that defines powerhouse podcaster and entrepreneur Christopher Hines, it’s focus. In this episode of All-In, the dynamic host of The Personal Branding Playbook Podcast shares with Daniel his journey from a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles to successful, endlessly inspired startup innovator. Chris has developed not only his own personal stable of podcasts but has also pioneered a podcast network, helping to evolve and manage content in a whole new space. He has also lately moved into software innovation with his newest venture, Castocity – a platform to help podcasters monetize their work. Daniel explores what drives Chris and where he hopes to go as the world slowly emerges from pandemic isolation. High on the list is coaching and training young basketball players, evangelizing for the power of discipline and curiosity. Whatever it is? You can figure it out, according to Chris, who brings his can-do wizardry to clients looking to up their podcast content creation, editing, production and marketing game.

Join Daniel in a learning about how Chris went from being the kid who cut out the bottom of a crate to make his own basketball hoop to learning to play four instruments as a young student (in spite of generally not being a fan of conventional “school”) to getting out ahead of the pack in launching his high-profile podcasting career.

There are many ways to measure business success that have little to do with chasing that tantalizing $1 million revenue dream. In this episode of All-In, Daniel focuses the  conversation on creating abundance of the kind that drives Wally Carmichael both personally and professionally. As host of both the Men of Abundance and Business Owner Growth podcasts, Wally focuses on the intersection between building success and living successfully. He has developed best practices and tools to help entrepreneurs evolve their businesses while also weaving in all kinds of life lessons gleaned in a long career as a U.S. Army Medic, father, husband and active community member. Together Daniel and Wally share their perspective as dads who value being actively involved in their children’s lives and their belief that there are things in life far more important than the single-minded goal of becoming one of the 4% of entrepreneurial ventures that break the million dollar mark for profitability. As the saying goes, “Some of the best things in life are free.” Wally suggests that income is great but of equal value are things like an abundance of time with family and freedom from debt. This episode also features useful advice for business owners about using mentors to spur growth and the importance of delegating tasks (such as marketing, sales and accounting) to ensure you’re focused appropriately on the core business you’re cultivating. Lots of great perspective from two men who have made living abundantly their mission and their quality of family life the key to meaningful success.

Taking a business venture to that next level of success is every aspiring entrepreneur’s dream, but all-too-many of us get in our own way. In this episode of All-In, Daniel invites Optimal VA Solutions founder and brand whisperer Erin Boerema to explain how she went from clutching her business’s reigns like an “I-can-do-it myself” two-year-old to welcoming support for her burgeoning company. Also host of the “Making Sense of Entrepreneurship” podcast, Erin has built an entire digital marketing practice around a toolkit for establishing and enhancing brands of all kinds. She started from the ground up, learning about systems and processes, professional and business development on her own and gradually incorporating the wisdom of mentors. When it comes to evolving startups to another stage of maturity, Erin explains, the smart money is on retaining a coach to help light the way. Entrepreneurial efforts can become so all-consuming that  valuable perspective is lost. Daniel elicits from Erin sage advice about how to create a compelling brand profile, defend against burnout and cultivate the kind of team that will unfailingly make you – and thus your venture – better than it was before. Enjoy hearing how Erin went from being an unhappy waitress making $2.32 an hour + tips to pursuing her passion: running a creative business and helping others to do the same, all from the comfort of her home in Jackson, Mississippi.

It may be tempting to jump in with a new partner or project, but it’s worth taking a beat to be sure your goals are actually in alignment. In this episode of The All-In Podcast Diane Helbig offers wisdom about the need to strike a balance between joining forces and taking opportunities and doing the necessary due diligence. Whether it’s being approached by a service provider or forming a joint venture, Daniel and Diane share their experiences with scanning the landscape in order to protect your business as you’re growing it.

A successful certified business coach of 15 years, Diane is passionate about helping small companies maximize opportunity while minimizing the kinds of mistakes that drain away time, energy, profit and growth. Inspired by lessons taught by her father, himself a small businessman, Diane uses a hands-on methodology to help organizations and enterprises operate constructively and profitably.

When it comes to optimizing your small business over the long term? Diane and Daniel discuss the importance of taking the occasional “mental health” hour or entire day to reinvigorate and recharge batteries. They also emphasize the importance of doing your homework before forming alliances of any kind and, on the flipside, relying regularly upon trusted colleagues and mentors for positivity and support because, even for the most successful entrepreneurs, the road can occasionally feel long and lonely.

Diane shares more of her expertise in small business management, sales, social media, networking and leadership both in her book, Succeed Without Selling, and also on her podcast Accelerate Your Business Growth.

In this episode of The All-In Podcast, serial entrepreneur Marc Kramer delivers a sampler platter of diverse startup experiences and insights. Daniel prompts details of the many hits and misses that make up Marc’s impressive portfolio, including more than 25 businesses, multiple books and a successful podcast The Best Business Minds. The one common mandate among all his ventures?

Get up, get going and don’t give up!

Marc takes Daniel on a tour of a host of businesses he has imagined, innovated, launched, grown, sold and in some instances wound down. There are no straight lines and no one gets out without some failure. The question is, says Marc, can you get up and keep on driving towards whatever goal? It’s helpful to remember that there were predecessors to Facebook (remember MySpace?) and Google (what ever happened to Excite and Alta Vista?). You never know when the timing for your particular vision will hit just right. Pets.com was one of the emblematic huge fails of the early dot.com era because it was just a bit ahead of its time. People didn’t understand the concept of ordering supplies online. Today? It would be a natural. So, Marc advises, keep the faith and keep on trying. Equip yourself with good research and a carefully considered plan.

Today Marc is not only growing a number of interesting startups (details of which he provides in the podcast), he is also a sought-after podcaster with a consulting company that takes entrepreneurs at all stages of maturation to the next level by providing guidance on everything from marketing and sales to innovation planning, loan acquisition and financial modeling. At heart also a philanthropist, what most inspires Marc’s boundless entrepreneurial drive is the desire to foster education and improved quality of life across society.

You can hear lots more about Marc’s experience and ideas via his podcast The Best Business Minds.

It’s not easy making the decision to abandon your status as a full-time employee with all the perks in order to pursue a the solopreneur venture of your dreams. But in this episode of The All-In Podcast Daniel invites his guest, podcast host and consultant David Shriner-Cahn, to share foundational steps you can take to make that leap a little easier. Their conversation not only illuminates questions to ask as you prepare to start up a business of your own, it also gives you practical considerations to factor into those first high-stakes months (sometime years) of transition.

Although he’s dedicated full-time to working with aspiring coaches and consultants, David’s professional experience started on a more traditional path. He went from college into the corporate world, assuming that hard work and talent would be repaid by promotions and security. While he received good reviews and feedback on his performance, he soon saw in 1980s downsizing the brutal truth that all employees were considered dispensable. He moved into the non-profit sector in search of work that felt like a better temperamental match and thrived, but a growing desire to run his own ship developed over time. David ultimately went out on his own, creating a very successful consulting business – learning a lot of valuable lessons along the way.

Daniel discusses with David some of the nuts and bolts of those lessons he has learned and incorporated in his successful podcast, Smashing the Plateau. They touch on a range of common challenges, from the unsettlingly risky element of going out on your own to the practical realities of timing, capital investment and networking.

And, of course, circumstances vary. David explains how his mentoring applies in different ways. Existing consultants and coaches may need to figure out how to increase revenue, reduce hours or alter their business model. Meanwhile brand new consultants and coaches with a long previous corporate history may need specific help making the initial pivot to a solo entrepreneurial venture. Either way, this conversation is full of real-world perspective and applicable tips for anyone running an independent business, including a list of emotions likely to emerge over the course of the transition:

It can be hard to measure success and keep the momentum going as a solopreneur. But through their podcasts and hard-won experience, Daniel and David offer the kind of support and advice that makes the journey easier at every step of the way.

Enjoy being inspired and uplifted by this conversation between two “all in” entrepreneurs.

In this episode of the “All-In” podcast, Daniel explores with his guest Peter Cimoroni the overlapping ways in which success, failure, kindness and integrity intersect when it comes to building an entrepreneurial venture. And, oh yes, there’s also wrestling. The CEO and Chairman of Razor Marketing has found throughout a varied career that the art of coaching sports (in his case wrestling) in many ways sets a framework that is applicable professionally and personally as well.

Peter, who grew up in Cleveland, has navigated all kinds of economic ups and downs since his earliest post-college jobs in the 1980s. His current work reflects lessons he took all along the way, as a salesman, inventor, start-up businessman and advisor to enterprises of all kinds. His work today is all about providing companies with a deep dive and triage to discover exactly what it is they want to accomplish – and who best to partner with towards that end. That means applying Razor’s methodology to determine next steps as they relate to a range of goals: topline growth, line item efficiency, even-to-odd growth, valuation growth, prep to acquire or be acquired.

Among the nine business Peter has personally grown, there have been disappointments. But nothing that could strictly be termed a failure because critical lessons have been learned in every instance. It’s all about “failing forward,” as Peter prefers to call it, and it can be transformational. For one thing, challenges can breed the kind of empathy and kindness that are the cornerstone to Peter’s business philosophy. He offers advice and some go-to habits that he believes best serve entrepreneurs by serving the best in those around them. Flowing positivity and kindness out into the world constitutes one of Peter’s best practices, both personally and professionally.

In his passion project, The Blood Time podcast, Peter speaks to the relationship between high school and collegiate coaches and their athletes and how they create positive, enduring lifetime impacts. He shares with Daniel insights into how and why.

Whether in the context of home or business, Peter urges people to export the same energy rooted in gratitude and thoughtfulness. Among the simple but profound tips he offers: Write a letter daily to encourage yourself, and then do the same for someone else who could use just a little encouragement or affirmation.

“We get so much callousness – especially in the business world – that the direct opposite is so refreshing. It enlightens and feeds your own spirit,” offer Peter, whose Razor Marketing has developed a methodology in which all boats rise together.

Enjoy being inspired and uplifted by this conversation between two “all in” entrepreneurs.

In a world of hurt, Patrick Fitzgibbons is using his military and law enforcement experience to inspire wholeness and healing. This episode of The All-In Podcast looks at how front-lines stress can be managed through setting intention and making conscious daily choices. Less than a decade ago, Patrick was living in a completely different way. Impacted by PTSD and the rigors and realities of his work in the field, he saw his life moving down one road and made a conscious decision to take a different fork in the road.  He has since established an entire coaching practice devoted to supporting mental, physical and spiritual health among first responders.

Through his stint with the Army and, until his retirement in 2019, a lengthy career as a patrolman, detective and operations commander with the police department in Louisville, CO, Patrick has learned close-up about some of the go-to attitudes that can undermine best intentions. In addition to coaching work he is hosts a top-ranked criminal justice podcast, Criminal Justice Evolution, focusing on critical building blocks for living a positive, productive life.

You won’t want to miss Patrick’s tips for staying centered, which include a daily gratitude practice, meditation, consistent physical exercise and a deliberate commitment to populating his life with people who are uplifting and share similar aspirations to his own. It’s all about shifting – then maintaining – a healthy mindset.

Join Daniel and Patrick in a discussion that will inspire you to ask: What are you grateful for and how can you manifest your best self every day? You can find Patrick’s podcast at: Criminal Justice Evolution

AJ Wilcox is the founder of the Linked Ads platform, B2Linked. He also hosts the LinkedIn Ads Show Podcast. AJ comes from a conservative background in Utah and is deeply devoted to his family. While at BYU, he initially wanted to study psychology, but quickly figured out that advertising in the digital space was what he was truly passionate about. After working for LinkedIn directly, AJ realized that there was a huge market for advertising on LinkedIn, and that the strategies out-perform even Facebook Ads. AJ is passionate about putting the right people in front of the right employer, and he hopes you’ll check out B2Linked.