Spencer Shaw is the founder of PodKick.com, a podcast production company that is responsible for millions of annual downloads. They’ve been featured in Forbes, MSN and other publications.

Spencer has started and exited several businesses in the software, real estate, and internet industries. He is the host of the Business Growth podcast and is the co-host of The Prosperity podcast. He’s also an instructor on the Udemy platform leading over 9,000 eager entrepreneurs.

He’s a family man, musician and loves to travel with family throughout the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

The importance of innovation in entrepreneurship

The benefits of brining on team members with subject matter expertise that you may not have

The ability to create content quickly with a podcast that will have an impact on your marketplace 

Podcasts as a tool to make you an authority in your space

The larger level, and longer term of commitment that comes from a client because of a podcast

The power of relationships to change your life and business for the better

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Spencer was so generous to share his better business practices regarding podcasting and relationships built.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Spencer: 

Websites:

www.podkik.com

Twitter:

@spencershaw

LinkedIn:

/in/spencershaw

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-sparks-55611a37/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Claxton is an awarded business leader and previous active duty highly decorated U.S. Marine who spent 11 years on active duty and completed 4 total tours in Iraq. He is an entrepreneur and has extensive global experience and reach in a multitude of industries and job functions. By being a proponent of building long-term relationships in business, he exercises a tenacious loyalty and sense of ethics that is unmatched. He is also a proponent of power networking to continuously meet and learn from new people as well as develop new relationships. With these approaches, he has been able to cultivate business relationships with some of the top leaders in business.

Paul has started and led 2 different bootstrapped companies and taken them from conception with zero revenue to over a quarter million in revenues within 60-90 days, respectively.

He currently mentors veterans on Veterati.com and has previously worked at Boutique Headhunting Firms, Fortune 500 Staffing Companies, Marketing Agencies, Military Command Centers, Bootstrapped Startups, High-Growth Startups and Project Management Firms.

In this episode, we discuss:

The heart of entrepreneurship as exploring what the world has to offer

The discipline a military career provides that lends itself to project management

Problem and solutions and the success focusing on the latter brings

What to know about the AI when looking at potential investments

The far reach that AI plays in many of today’s industries

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Paul was so generous to share his better business practices regarding finding solutions and AI’s far reach in today’s world.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Paul 

Websites:

www.reciprocityroi.com

www.theroboticshub.com

www.BAMbusinesses.com

Social Medias:

USA LinkedIn Paul Claxton | LinkedIn

UK LinkedIn Paul Anthony Claxton | LinkedIn

Company MEMBER VIEW RECIPROCITY ROI, LLC: Overview | LinkedIn

VC TheRoboticsHub  

Company Twitter www.twitter.com/reciprocityroi 

Company Instagram www.Instagram.com/reciprocityroi

Company Facebook www.facebook.com/reciprocityroi 

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-sparks-55611a37/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denise Blasevick is CEO and co-founder of The S3 Agency, a creative agency specializing in Brand Elevation for clients like BMW of North America, Eight O’Clock Coffee, and the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Brand Elevation is the proprietary process that sets her company apart from other marketing agencies – by helping clients uncover the power and profitability of a truly differentiated brand. 

An inductee in the Advertising Hall of Fame of New Jersey, Denise has won hundreds of awards for her creativity and business acumen. She is a nationally cited marketing expert who shared her expertise on air for many years as the Marketing Makeover Expert for MSNBC’s “Your Business” TV show. And she is a member of the Board of Trustees for Centenary University (her alma mater), as well as a graduate of the Entrepreneurial Master’s program at MIT. Denise, her husband, and her teenage son enjoy traveling, puzzle solving, and spending time with their “pet” squirrel. 

In this episode, we discuss:

The importance of being authentic to one’s self and relevant to your target customer

How your brand is not the same as your name or logo

Differentiating yourself from your competition to be more than just a commodity

The hand in hand relationship between marketing and sales

Elevating your brand by keeping front and center and feeding it every day

Digital Discovery as the most important thing to be thinking about for your brand

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Denise was so generous to share her better business practices regarding building an honest and relevant brand.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Denise 

Websites Mentioned:

s3.agency

Guest Contact Info:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thes3agency.com

Instagram: : https://www.instagram.com/thes3agency/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniseblasevick/

Twitter: @advertgirl

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Sparks is the Founder of Sparks Law. He works as an in-house counsel for small to medium sized businesses. His bi-monthly blog deals specifically with legal issues that Georgia businesses face. Before forming Sparks Law, Jonathan worked at the United States Department of Justice, the United States Senate Office, the Attorney General’s office for the District of Columbia, and as an attorney at King & Spalding here in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the George Washington University Law School, where he excelled at Corporate and Business law, Torts, Litigation, and Securities law.

In this episode, we discuss:

The powerful tool your mindset is in regard to entrepreneurship

The business benefits of under-promising and over-delivering

The power of a great team to an entrepreneur

Doing more of the right kind of work and less of the wrong kind of work to achieve success

The importance of trusts to continue your legacy the way you intend

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Jonathan was so generous to share his better business practices regarding what you need to understand when looking at the legal side of your business.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Jonathan 

Websites Mentioned:

 https://sparkslawpractice.com

Guest Contact Info:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SparksLawPractice

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLkyirji7hkBq4u4szb5DOQ

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-sparks-55611a37/

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenna Waters is a Cybersecurity Consultant at True Digital Security where she specializes in information security program development, industry compliance assessments, threat intelligence, and cloud security controls. She helps clients navigate the complexities of cybersecurity program development and conducts compliance assessments, gap analyses, and holistic security consulting. Jenna is an experienced professional who consults with companies across multiple industries in achieving security-related best practices and/or regulatory compliance objectives. Jenna works to bridge the divide between security control architecture and compliance requirements in Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services cloud environments.

Jenna began her career in the United States Navy working under the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command at the Naval Intelligence Operations Center (NIOC) and with the National Security Agency (NSA). Afterward, she graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in Computer Information Systems. Jenna is passionate about sharing her knowledge of cybersecurity with business owners, public policy leaders, and healthcare, financial, and tech industry members. When she isn’t busy helping her clients protect their customers’ data, Jenna is a voracious reader, aspiring hobbyist, and dog mom of two.

In this episode, we discuss:

The growing importance of a business’ cyber-security program

The increased risk that small to medium sized businesses are at for cyberattacks  

The financial value of a cybersecurity program to any business

Identifying gaps and vulnerabilities in a businesses’ security

How investing in cybersecurity can help a business tackle future IT projects in a more agile way

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Jenna was so generous to share her better business practices regarding what you need to understand when considering your business’ cyber-security program. Jenna’s lesson on the importance of a company’s cyber-security program can teach us all how to have a better business.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Jenna 

Websites Mentioned:

www.truedigitalsecurity.com

Guest Contact Info:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/je-waters/

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Aldridge is currently the Managing Partner for Asbury Investor Relations (AIR). He is also the President of the National Investor Relations Institute for the Southeast and has been on the board of directors for the past five years. He was formerly the Senior Director of Investor Relations (IR) for Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), where he was responsible for managing the company’s relationships with the investment community, and creating and disseminating all financial communications, including the company’s strategy and vision. Prior to ICE, Dan led the Investor Relations function for CF Industries, INC., based in Chicago, IL. 

Prior to CF, Dan helped lead the IR department at The Home Depot and had leadership roles in their internal audit/consulting and FP&A functions for over seven years. Dan started his career at UPS where he had increasing levels of responsibility in the Internal audit, and FP&A departments, including M&A. Dan is a graduate of The University of Georgia Terry College of Business with a BA and Masters degrees in Accounting. Dan also holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation.

In this episode, we discuss:

The increased focus from companies of all sizes on ESG, or how they impact their surrounding community

Investor Relations as a position that has access to all the departments of a company

Trust as one of the most important qualifiers of corporate credibility 

A smaller company’s need for strong investor relations

The story your company wants to tell and how that can affect its success

The importance of communication and diversity of thought to build a better business

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Dan was so generous to share his better business practices regarding what you need to understand when considering Investor Relations. Dan’s lesson on the importance of a company’s message can teach us all how to have a better business.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Dan 

Websites Mentioned:

asburyir.com

Guest Contact Info:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-aldridge-iii-1233176/

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ami Kassar, founder and CEO of, MultiFunding and author of, The Growth Dilemma, has earned a national reputation as a thought leader in business finance. An in-demand speaker and trusted advisor to growth-focused business leaders, Ami has helped thousands of business owners achieve ambitious growth goals through creative and personalized funding solutions. His work has helped create tens of thousands of jobs.

For more than 20 years, Ami has challenged executives to think differently about how they capitalize growth. Regularly featured in national media including The New York Times, Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Forbes and Fox Business News, Ami also writes a weekly column for Inc. Magazine. He has advised the White House, the Federal Reserve Bank and the Treasury Department on credit markets. 

In this episode, we discuss:

The parallels between an immigrant’s journey and the path of an entrepreneur

The importance of knowing what you are doing and why when signing a debt agreement

Always understanding the downside of taking on debt

How being in a hurry and making a bad financing decision can be like a quick lunch at McDonald’s

The importance of keeping good books when managing finances

How difficult is to plan when you don’t have a goal and a strategy with financing.

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Ami was so generous to share his better business practices regarding what you need to understand when seeking financing. Ami’s story of doing what he can to help his customers can teach us all how to have a better business.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Amy 

Websites Mentioned:

sbaignite.com

multifunding.com

Guest Contact Info:

Facebook: facebook.com/akassar 

          facebook.com/multifundingllc

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amikassar

         linkedin.com/in/company/multifunding-llc

Twiiter: @amikassar

       @multifunding

Instagram: @multifunding

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From his parents dining room to an international brand, GYMGUYZ Founder & CEO, Josh York, is an American dream come true. 12 years ago, Josh York was sitting at his parents dining room table hammering out the idea that would become GYMGUYZ – a mobile in-home fitness training provider, today boasting 251 locations across 30 states and 3 countries. Josh, who believes sleep is the enemy and subscribes to 4-5 hours a night with a 4:00 a.m. workout followed by a sauna and 25’ cold plunge daily, wasn't going to be denied his dream. It has been an incredible journey. From devising visionary business plans where his mom served dinner, to today rubbing shoulders with major disruptors in the business industry such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Phil Knight (Nike Founder) and Trent Shelton, to name a few, Josh and his experienced franchise management team expects to open another 200 locations in 2021. Josh’s competitive nature, passion for living, and presence makes him one of the most sought-after motivational speakers of the day.

In this episode, we discuss:

Persistence and not taking no for an answer

Culture wins in business

Needing a vision, painting a blank canvass, to succeed

The ability to bring so many great minds together with franchising to help you grow 

A willingness to fail and make mistakes in order to achieve your goals

Delegating your weaknesses and focusing on your strengths

Results don’t work unless you do 

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Josh gave valuable information and insights on how to do better in business. He delved into sharing life experiences that led him to what he is today. Also, he shared tips on how you can do business easier in the most efficient way possible.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Josh

Website 

www.gymguyz.com

www.joshyorkgg.com

LinkedIn

www.linkedin/in/josh-york-554a3120

Instagram

@joshyorkgg

Facebook

@gymguyz

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @ SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shawn Khorrami is a serial entrepreneur, having started and managed more than a dozen businesses, up to $100 million in revenue, involving products and services across a wide range of verticals. In the process, he has managed thousands of employees servicing tens of thousands of customers, large and small, from consumers to small to medium-sized businesses and even governmental entities. He has formal education and extensive hands-on experience in business operations, strategies and planning, marketing, sales, finance, legal, and human resources. He has obtained university diplomas in mathematics, economics, and computers, and earned a law degree.

In this episode, we discuss:

Shawn Khorrami’s venture from not experiencing a traditional job to an owner of a dozen of businesses

Three quick life stories that led to his principle today

Trying to make his father’s life easier that ended up in providing services to others

“One plus one equals four.”

What was the business he made that made him feel the happiest?

Shawn, when he failed phenomenally

A thing he wants to share that he hopes people will do 

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Shawn gave valuable information and insights on how to do better in business. He delved into sharing life experiences that led him to what he is today. Also, he shared tips on how you can do business easier in the most efficient way possible.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Shawn

Website www.khorramiconsulting.com

LinkedIn Page https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnkhorrami/

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Langer is an independent board member, successful entrepreneur and industry thought leader. She is currently Co-Founder and Owner of Salo, LLC, an $85M professional services company providing services throughout the U.S. out of offices in Minneapolis, MN, and Chicago, IL. At Salo, Ms. Langer has driven company growth and brand affinity through a keen analysis of market gaps, architecting and leading innovative strategies, and establishing sustainable and scalable infrastructure. Her unwavering commitment to creating an exceptional corporate culture and service environment has led Salo to be widely recognized for setting industry standards relative to innovative culture, superior client service, and workforce flexibility. 

Prior to co-founding Salo, she was National Business Development Director at Robert Half International, a $1.5B publicly traded professional services company. In this role, she led transformative change in the North American territory, comprised of 25 offices, and drove a national product line that generated $10M in recurring annual revenue. Earlier in her career, Ms. Langer was employed as a CPA with KPMG, LLP a “big four” accounting firm, where she focused on global insurance and financial services client advisory work.

Committed to professional and community volunteerism, Ms. Langer has a history of service to not-for-profit boards and professional organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Health Partners, Washburn Center for Children Emeritus, and Board Member of Greater MSP. She holds a BS in Accounting from the Eli Broad College of Business, Michigan State University.

In this episode, we discuss:

Amy’s upbringing on a farm and how it taught her the value of hard work

Understanding what you love to do and what you excel at, and pursuing it

The transition from employee to business owner

Valuing relationships over the transaction

Resiliency as a necessary trait in business to overcome things not going as planned

Pursuing what you want to pursue and fulfilling it as the definition of winning

How your failures can provide the lessons you need to succeed

I hope you will find this episode as exciting and informative as I have. Amy was so generous to share her better business practices regarding hiring efforts. Amy’s story of overcoming failures and working to her strengths can teach us all how to have a better business.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Connect with Amy 

Guest Contact Info: 612-269-2401

Email: [email protected]

Website https://salollc.com/

LinkedIn Page https://www.linkedin.com/in/amylanger/

Twitter @AmyLanger 

Connect with Steve Eschbach

Website: https://www.tworld.com/locations/naperville/ or https://eschbachassoc.com/ 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqgICqaSI8xE2GRYY1HWJA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speschbach/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveeschbach/ 

Twitter: @SteveEschbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices